Etymo

umbrella

A portable folding cover used against rain or sun.

Played on · Day 34 · word 5 of 5

A little shade carried into English

How umbrella reached English

oldest first

  1. Latin

    umbra

    ‘shade, shadow’

    within Latin

  2. Latin

    umbella

    ‘sunshade, parasol’

    into Late Latin

  3. Late Latin

    umbrella

    into Italian

  4. Italian

    ombrella

    into English

  5. English

    umbrella

The story of umbrella

Latin umbra meant shade or shadow. Its diminutive umbella lies behind Italian ombrella and English umbrella.

Source

Merriam-Webster: umbrella

Word History supplies the route; Kids Etymology gives shade, shadow and little shade.

Related

The name recalls shade even when the object is being used in rain.

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