different between cotton vs burlap

English

Etymology 1

Middle English cotoun, from Anglo-Norman cotun, Old French coton, from (Genoese) Old Italian cotone, from Arabic ?????? (qu?un), of uncertain origin. There is no apparent semantic link between the Arabic word and the root ? ? ?? (q-?-n), leading to suggestions that it is a corruption of another word, such as ??????? (katt?n, “flax”) or (more distant phonologically) ???????? (jafna, “vine”). Cognate to Dutch katoen, German Kattun, Italian cotone, Spanish algodón, and Portuguese algodão.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?k?t.n?/, [?k??.n?]
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?k?t.n?/
• Rhymes: -?t?n
• Hyphenation: cot?ton

Noun

cotton (usually uncountable, plural cottons)

1. Gossypium, a genus of plant used as a source of cotton fiber.
2. Any plant that encases its seed in a thin fiber that is harvested and used as a fabric or cloth.
3. Any fiber similar in appearance and use to Gossypium fiber.
4. (textiles) The textile made from the fiber harvested from a cotton plant, especially Gossypium.
5. (countable) An item of clothing made from cotton.

Derived terms

Translations

Adjective

cotton (not comparable)

1. Made of cotton.

Translations

Verb

cotton (third-person singular simple present cottons, present participle cottoning, simple past and past participle cottoned)

1. (transitive) To provide with cotton.
   1. To supply with a cotton wick.
   2. To fill with a wad of cotton.
   3. (horticulture) To wrap with a protective layer of cotton fabric.
   4. To cover walls with fabric.
   5. (tar and cotton) To cover with cotton bolls over a layer of tar (analogous to tar and feather )
2. To make or become cotton-like
   1. To raise a nap, providing with a soft, cottony texture.
   2. To develop a porous, cottony texture.
   3. To give the appearance of being dotted with cotton balls.
   4. To enshroud with a layer of whiteness.
3. To protect from harsh stimuli, coddle, or muffle.
4. To rub or burnish with cotton.

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “cotton”, in Online Etymology Dictionary
• Duschak, Moritz (1870) Die Botanik des Talmud (in German), Pest: I. Neuer, pages 7–10
• Fraenkel, Siegmund (1886) Die aramäischen Fremdwörter im Arabischen (in German), Leiden: E. J. Brill, page 42
• Löw, Immanuel (1881) Aramæische Pflanzennamen?^[2] (in German), Leipzig: Wilhelm Engelmann, page 92
• Löw, Immanuel (1924) Die Flora der Juden?^[3] (in German), volume 2, Wien und Leipzig: R. Löwit, pages 235 seqq., for Arabic Löw, Immanuel (1924) Die Flora der Juden?^[4] (in German), volume 2, Wien und Leipzig: R. Löwit, pages 241–242.

Etymology 2

1560s, either from Welsh cydun, cytun (“agree, coincide”) (cyduno, cytuno), from cyd, cyt + un (“one”), literally “to be at one with”, or by metaphor with the textile, as cotton blended well with other textiles, notably wool in hat-making.

Verb

cotton (third-person singular simple present cottons, present participle cottoning, simple past and past participle cottoned)

1. To get on with someone or something; to have a good relationship with someone.

Usage notes

Generally used with prepositions on, to; see cotton on, cotton to.

Derived terms

• cotton on
• cotton to

Translations

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “cotton”, in Online Etymology Dictionary
• Take Our Word For It: Issue 178, page 2
• Palmer, Abram Smythe (1882) Folk-etymology: a dictionary of verbal corruptions or words perverted in form or meaning, by false derivation or mistaken analogy, G. Bell and Sons, page 76

Middle English

Noun

cotton

1. (Late Middle English) Alternative form of coton

English

Etymology

Origin uncertain. Attested since about 1695 in the spelling bore-lap, borelapp. Likely from burel (“a coarse woollen cloth”) +? lap (“flap of a garment”), where the first element is from Middle English burel, borel. Others feel that "its character and time of appearance makes a Dutch origin very likely" (and the earliest references as to its importation from the Netherlands); the NED suggests derivation from Dutch boenlap (“coarse, rubbing linen or cloth”) with the first element perhaps confused with boer; Bense instead suggests derivation from an unattested Dutch *boerenlap, where *boeren supposedly has an extended sense of "coarse" as in Dutch boerenkost (“coarse, heavy food as is eaten by farmers”) and boerengoed (from Dutch boer (“farmer, peasant”); compare English boor), though this word is not attested.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?b?læp/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?b??læp/

Noun

burlap (countable and uncountable, plural burlaps)

1. (US) A very strong, coarse cloth, made from jute, flax, or hemp, and used to make sacks, etc.

   Synonyms: (UK) hessian, (Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago) crocus

Translations

Verb

burlap (third-person singular simple present burlaps, present participle burlapping, simple past and past participle burlapped)

1. (transitive) To wrap or cover in burlap.

See also

• sackcloth

References