Etymologically
Log in

tapis

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 15:20. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ta.pi/[1]

Forms

tapis m (invariable)[1] Tapid (late 11th century, Rashi's glosses), tapiz (about 1130); tapis from the late 12th century.[2][3][4]

Etymology

It was borrowed at the time of the Crusades from Ancient Greek ταπήτιον (tapḗtion, “small rug”), then pronounced with ⟨i⟩ for ⟨ē⟩, a diminutive of τάπης (tápēs, “rug, blanket”), itself an oriental loanword of obscure origin, long thought to be Iranian.[2][5][3][6] Wiktionary prefers an inheritance through Vulgar Latin *tappetium from Latin tapēte or the Byzantine Greek word.[1]

The Greek word was adapted in Latin in several forms, which gave Spanish tapete and Italian tappeto, while Spanish tapiz “tapestry” comes from French.[2][5] The French word passed in turn into early English tapis, later ousted by “carpet”, and into German Teppich.[2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Roman d'Eneas (about 1160) mentions un tapiz Galacien, a piece of fabric used to cover the floor or furniture.[7]

Semantic evolution

For a long time tapis meant any piece of fabric used as furnishing or decoration, spread on a table or a dais or hung like a tapestry (tapiz de muraille, 1408); the restricted modern sense, a covering spread on the floor, dates only from the second half of the 18th century.[2][7] A tapis velu de Roumanie is recorded in 1328 and tapis de Turquie in the 14th century.[7][3]

From the table cover (about 1485), and especially the green cloth of a council table (1575), came mettre quelque chose sur le tapis, to bring it up for discussion (late 16th century), and revenir sur le tapis (Sévigné, 1676).[7] The same green cloth is the gaming table, the tapis vert.[8] In boxing aller au tapis, to be knocked down, dates from 1908.[9] Later compounds include tapis magique (Stendhal, 1827), tapis de prière (1876) and tapis roulant, a conveyor belt.[7][1] Derivatives include tapissier (1226), tapisserie (1347) and tapisser (15th century).[5]

Timeline

  • Late 11th century – Tapid in Rashi's glosses.[2][3]
  • c. 1160 – Tapiz in the Roman d'Eneas.[7]
  • 1226 – Tapissier.[5]
  • 1347 – Tapisserie.[5]
  • c. 1485 – A table or chair cover.[7]
  • Late 16th century – Mettre sur le tapis, in Pasquier.[7]
  • Second half of the 18th century – The modern sense, a floor covering.[2]
  • 1908 – Aller au tapis in boxing.[9][7]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A carpet or rug: tapis persan, tapis de prière.[8][1]
  2. A mat: tapis de sol, tapis de souris; in boxing or wrestling, the floor of the ring: envoyer au tapis.[8][1]
  3. A cover for a table or other furniture, le tapis vert, the gaming table.[7][8]
  4. (figurative) A carpet-like layer: un tapis de neige, de fleurs.[8]
  5. Mettre, remettre une question sur le tapis: to bring it up for discussion.[1][7]
  6. Tapis roulant: a conveyor belt or moving walkway, tapis rouge, red carpet.[1]
  7. (poker) All in.[1]

Word family

  • tapisser
  • tapisserie
  • tapissier
  • Ancient Greek τάπης (tápēs)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c d e f Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 13/1, 96a
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  8. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF