umbrella

Where does the word "umbrella" come from? It comes from Latin umbra, passing through Italian before entering English (1600s).

Umbrella’s story begins in Latin: umbra meant “shade, shadow.” Meaning "shade" or "shadow". By medieval, the word had taken hold in Italian as ombrella. A diminutive meaning "little shade", a portable sunshade. It reached English by 1600s as umbrella. Jonas Hanway, who carried one in London from the 1750s, made the umbrella respectable for men. Today, umbrella means a folding device with a canopy used for protection from rain or sun.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient umbra "shade, shadow", meaning "shade" or "shadow".
2. Stage 2 · Italian · medieval ombrella "a little shade; a sunshade", a diminutive meaning "little shade", a portable sunshade.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1600s umbrella "a folding device for protection from rain or sun", Jonas Hanway, who carried one in London from the 1750s, made the umbrella respectable for men.