English
cuirass
Cuirass comes from Old Occitan coirassa, from Late Latin coriāceus ‘leather’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)koryóm.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)koryómreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*korjomreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcorium‘leather’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcoriāceusas coriacea‘leather’
- Old Occitanc. 950–1500coirassa
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400cuirace
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500curasse
- Englishearliest quotation 1786cuirass
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)koryómreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*korjomreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcorium‘leather’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcoriāceusas coriacea‘leather’
- Old Occitanc. 950–1500coirassa
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400cuirace
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500curasse
- Englishearliest quotation 1786cuirass
Earliest quotation: 1786, Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons: “The cuirass covered the body before and behind, it…”
The story
First use appears c. 1464. From Middle English curasse, curesse, from Old French cuirace, spelling influenced by modern French cuirasse.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- ‘to cut off, sever’
short, share, card, across, cancer, screen, score, cross, shirt, circle, crucial, scare, curve, circuit, carnival, scar, cancellation, scrutiny, shrine, skirt, circulation, crest, circus, curb, corona, shear, scorpion, circa, shred, carnage, incarceration, carcinoma, corolla, scorn, shrewd, crux, shard, raffle, carnal, riddance, 118 more
through Latin corium ‘leather’
Today it means
noun A piece of defensive armor, covering the body from the neck to the girdle.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)koryóm / cuirass