corduroy
KOR-duh-roy · noun
FrenchEnglish
Origin
Corduroy's origin is uncertain, but it's probably a blend of 'cord' and 'duroy,' a coarse fabric made in 17th century England. The popular tale that it comes from French 'corde du roi' ('cloth of the king') doesn't hold up, since that phrase is unattested in French. Another possibility is 'cordesoy,' from 'corde de soie' ('rope of silk'), referenced in a 1756 advertisement.
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Related words
It may share a root with 'serge,' as 'cordesoy' has been compared to the contemporary term 'serg(e)dusoys,' meaning 'silk serge.'