valise

Where does the word "valise" come from? It comes from Medieval Latin valisia, passing through Italian and French before entering English (1610s).

Valise’s story begins in Medieval Latin: valisia meant “a traveling bag.” A word of uncertain deeper origin for a traveling case. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Italian as valigia. Kept the sense of a traveling bag. From there it passed into French as valise by 1500s. From Italian 'valigia', of uncertain origin. It reached English by 1610s as valise. Adopted for a soldier's or traveler's kit bag. Today, valise means a small suitcase or traveling bag.

1. Stage 1 · Medieval Latin · medieval valisia "a traveling bag", a word of uncertain deeper origin for a traveling case.
2. Stage 2 · Italian · medieval valigia "a suitcase", kept the sense of a traveling bag.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1500s valise "a traveling case", from Italian 'valigia', of uncertain origin.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1610s valise "a small suitcase or traveling bag", adopted for a soldier's or traveler's kit bag.