Where does “napkin” come from?
Napkin comes from Middle English napkyn, derived from Middle English nape, which comes from Old French nappe, ultimately from Latin mappa meaning cloth or napkin.
napkin (English): A serviette; a piece of cloth or paper used at...
Definitions
- A serviette; a piece of cloth or paper used at...
Ancestry of “napkin”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | napkyn | A napkin or serviette |
| 2 | Middle English | nape | The nape; the neck's rear; The nape of a fish;... |
| 3 | Old French | nape | table cloth |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | nappa | napkin |
| 5 | Latin | mappa | napkin; starting signal; map |
Words derived from “napkin”