English
coppice
Coppice comes from Old French copeiz ‘a cut-over forest’, from Latin colaphus ‘a cuff, box on the ear’, and ultimately from Ancient Greek κόλαφος ‘a blow, slap’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκόλαφοςkólaphos‘a blow, slap’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcolaphus‘a cuff, box on the ear’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*colpaticium‘having the quality of being cut’next step skipped: Old French presumed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400copeiz‘a cut-over forest’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500copies
- Englishearliest quotation 1907coppice
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκόλαφοςkólaphos‘a blow, slap’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcolaphus‘a cuff, box on the ear’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*colpaticium‘having the quality of being cut’next step skipped: Old French presumed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400copeiz‘a cut-over forest’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500copies
- Englishearliest quotation 1907coppice
Earliest quotation: 1907, Harold Bindloss, Toronto: “[…]belts of thin white mist streaked the brown plough…”.
Linked words
through Latin colaphus ‘a cuff, box on the ear’
Today it means
noun A grove of small growth; a thicket of brushwood; a wood cut at certain times for fuel or other purposes, typically managed to promote growth and ensure a reliable supply of timber. See copse.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek κόλαφος / coppice