Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “attaché case” come from?

attaché case (English) comes from English attaché, from French attaché, from French attacher, from Old French atachier, from Old French estachier, from Old French estache, from Medieval Latin staca, from Gothic 𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌺𐌰 — to cover; pole, stick, beam.

attaché case (English): A box-style briefcase, scrunched over a hinged...

Definitions

  1. A box-style briefcase, scrunched over a hinged...

Ancestry of “attaché case”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishattachéA diplomatic officer, usually one who plays a...
2Frenchattachépast participle of attacher; attached
3Frenchattacherto affix, bind, tie something to something else,...
4Old Frenchatachierto attach
5Old FrenchestachierAlternative form of atachier; bind; to fasten...
6Old Frenchestachestake; strap
7Medieval Latinstacaa stake
8Gothic𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌺𐌰—
9Proto-Germanicstakôstake
10Proto-Indo-European(s)teg-to cover; pole, stick, beam
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)teg- →