English
houss
Houss comes from French housse ‘slipcover’, and goes back to Frankish *hulfti.
- Frankishc. 250–700*hulftireconstructed
- VL.modern*hultiareconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400hulce
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600houce
- Frenchc. 1600–presenthousse‘slipcover’
- Englishearliest quotation 1717houss
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Frankishc. 250–700*hulftireconstructed
- VL.modern*hultiareconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400hulce
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600houce
- Frenchc. 1600–presenthousse‘slipcover’
- Englishearliest quotation 1717houss
Earliest quotation: 1717, John Dryden, Book XII: “And where man ended, the continued vest, Spread on…”
Every English word from Frankish *hulfti
Today it means
noun A covering, usually of textile (or mail) and attached to a saddle; a saddlecloth.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Frankish *hulfti / houss