ProbableNamed through a historical place-name
satin
noun · first attested 14th century
The cloth is usually traced to a Chinese port's Arabic name.
A glossy fabric with a smooth unbroken surface.
Quanzhou·People's Republic of China
24.9139°N 118.5858°E · Q68695
Record
- Relationship
- Named through a historical place-name
- Confidence
- ProbableThe conventional story is likely, with caveats.
- Attested
- 14th century
- Part of speech
- noun
Explanations here are written for this atlas. Dictionary text is not copied; the sources are linked so the claim can be checked.
- Step 1
Quanzhou
- In English
satin
Satin is commonly derived from Zaytun, the Arabic name for Quanzhou, from which the fabric was shipped. The route is long and the link is probable rather than certain.
People's Republic of China
All 21 entries 20 more words from People's Republic of China
cashmereThe wool is Kashmir, spelled the old English way.KashmirshanghaiThe verb is named for a port, not for a method invented there alone.ShanghaichinaThe teacup is named for the country that made porcelain famous in Europe.JingdezhenkaolinThe clay behind porcelain is named for a hill in Jiangxi.JingdezhennankeenThe yellow cotton is named for Nanjing.NanjingXanaduThe dream palace was a real Mongol capital.ShangduPeking duckThe dish carries the older English spelling of Beijing.BeijingCanton flannelCanton is Guangzhou; the cloth was named for the port, not a mill there.Guangzhou