Where does “matroos” come from?

matroos (Afrikaans) comes from Dutch matroos, from French matelot, from Middle French matelot, from Old French matenot, from Middle Dutch mattenoot — bunk fellow.

matroos (Afrikaans): sailor, mariner

Definitions

  1. sailor, mariner

Ancestry of “matroos”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchmatroossailor, seaman
2Frenchmatelotseaman
3Middle Frenchmatelotsailor
4Old Frenchmatenotsailor, bunkmate
5Middle Dutchmattenootbunk fellow
Every word from Middle Dutch mattenoot →Every word from Old French matenot →Every word from Middle French matelot →