English
cord
Cord comes from Old French corde ‘rope’, from Latin chorda ‘catgut, string of a musical instrument’, and ultimately from Ancient Greek χορδή.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχορδήkhordḗ‘string of gut, the string of a lyre’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEchorda‘catgut, string of a musical instrument’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400corde‘rope’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘a long, thick length of fibre’
- Englishearliest quotation 1842cord
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχορδήkhordḗ‘string of gut, the string of a lyre’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEchorda‘catgut, string of a musical instrument’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400corde‘rope’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘a long, thick length of fibre’
- Englishearliest quotation 1842cord
Earliest quotation: 1842, Alfred Tennyson, To—: “Clear-headed friend, whose joyful scorn, / Edged with sharp…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰerH- ‘bowels, intestines’
gin, grin, hernia, garn, 9 more
through Ancient Greek χορδή ‘string of gut, the string of a lyre’
Today it means
noun A long, thin, flexible length of twisted yarns (strands) of fibre (a rope, for example).
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek χορδή / cord