Etymograph

English

sequin

Sequin comes from French sequin ‘zecchin, sequin’, from Italian zecchino ‘a gold coin, especially a Venetian ducat’, and ultimately from Arabic سِكَّة.

  1. Arabicc. 500–presentسِكَّةsikka‘die for coining, coin’
  2. Italianc. 1300–presentzecca‘mint’
  3. Italian, derivedc. 1300–presentzecchino‘a gold coin, especially a Venetian ducat’
  4. Frenchc. 1600–presentsequin‘zecchin, sequin’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1816same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Arabicc. 500–presentسِكَّةsikka‘die for coining, coin’
  2. Italianc. 1300–presentzecca‘mint’
  3. Italian, derivedc. 1300–presentzecchino‘a gold coin, especially a Venetian ducat’
  4. Frenchc. 1600–presentsequin‘zecchin, sequin’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1816same form

Earliest quotation: 1816, William Beckford, Vathek: “‘Let him receive as many robes of honour and…”

Every English word from Arabic سِكَّة

Today it means

noun Any of various small gold coins minted in Italy and Turkey.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Arabic سِكَّة / sequin

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