How did cotton enter the English language?

The word "cotton" has a fascinating journey through languages! It ultimately traces back to the Arabic word "qutn" (pronounced "koot-n").

Here's a simplified breakdown:

1. Arabic: "Qutn" (pronounced "koot-n") was the Arabic word for cotton.

2. Middle Ages: This word spread to Europe through trade and contact with Arab cultures.

3. Medieval French: It adopted the word as "coton," which eventually morphed into "cotone" in Italian.

4. English: English borrowed the word "cotton" from the French "coton" around the 14th century.

So, while the word "cotton" is now considered an English word, its origins lie in the Arabic language and its journey through several other languages before reaching English.