Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “tape” come from?

Tape comes from Middle English tape, from Old English tæppa, from Proto-Germanic tappô, from Latin papyrus, from Ancient Greek πάπυρος, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root deh₂- meaning to bind or fasten.

tape (English): Flexible material in a roll with a sticky surface...

Definitions

  1. Flexible material in a roll with a sticky surface...

Ancestry of “tape”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishtapeAlternative form of tappe; band, ribbon, tape
2Old Englishtæppatap, spigot; band, ribbon, tape
3Frankishtappō—
4Proto-Germanictappôplug; tap
5Proto-Indo-Europeandeh₂p-to sacrifice; to lose
6Proto-Indo-Europeandeh₂-to share, divide

Words derived from “tape”

  • videotape
  • audiotape
  • tapeworm
  • Sellotape
  • sellotape
  • tapeless
  • tapeline
  • retape
  • tapelike
  • tapescript
  • microtape
  • pretape
  • nametape
  • nontape
  • videotaper
  • tapegrass
  • holotape
  • tapezine
  • gaffer tape
  • fucktape
  • tapeable
  • covertape
  • duck tape
  • duct tape
Every word from Proto-Indo-European deh₂- →