English
chiffon
Chiffon comes from French chiffon ‘rag’, from Middle English chip ‘chip, shard, fragment’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵey- ‘to split’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵey-‘to split’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*kipp-‘to chop’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*kippōnreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150ċipp‘chip, splinter, shaving’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500chip‘chip, shard, fragment’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400chipe‘rag’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600chiffe‘cloth, old rag’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentchiffon‘rag’
- Englishtodaychiffon
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵey-‘to split’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*kipp-‘to chop’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*kippōnreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150ċipp‘chip, splinter, shaving’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500chip‘chip, shard, fragment’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400chipe‘rag’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600chiffe‘cloth, old rag’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentchiffon‘rag’
- Englishtodaychiffon
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ǵey- ‘to split’
through Middle English chip ‘chip, shard, fragment’
Today it means
noun A lightweight, balanced plain-woven sheer fabric, or gauze, like gossamer, woven of alternate S- and Z-twist crepe (high-twist) yarns made of silk, polyester, or cotton.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ǵey- / chiffon