spa English · revision 10813

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=eponym|attested=1610}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /spɑː/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from Spa, a health resort in the province of Liège in eastern Belgium, famous for its curative mineral springs,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) known since the 14th century;^(Etymonline)^(Collins 2023) the place name is from Walloon espa, spring, fountain.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Spa, the Belgian resort, is named in English from 1565, and used in a general sense from 1610;^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024) a medicinal or mineral spring, 1626.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A town or resort with a mineral spring is first recorded in 1777, in Sheridan.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) A commercial establishment offering health and beauty treatments is from 1960,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and a hot tub, or spa bath, from 1974 in American English.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) The American Heritage note records a regional sense, a soda fountain, probably alluding to the carbonated water used there.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1565 – Spa, the Belgian resort.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1610 – a spa (generalized).^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1626 – a mineral spring.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1777 – a spa town.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1960 – a health spa.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1974 – a hot tub.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A place or resort with a [[mineral]] spring, or the spring itself.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A commercial establishment offering health and beauty treatments.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # A bath or tub of hot aerated water; a hot tub.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[health spa]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}