Bassinet
/ˌbæsɪˈnɛt/noun
A small bed or basket designed for a newborn baby.
Did you know?Before becoming associated mainly with infants, bassinet also named a rounded medieval helmet, likely because its shape resembled a basin.
Etymological Timeline
Late Latin
Latin
baccinum
“A basin or broad vessel”
Medieval Latin
Latin
bacinetum
“A small basin or basin-shaped object”
13th–14th Century
Old French
bacinet
“A small basin; later, a rounded helmet”
14th Century
Middle English
bacinet
“A type of medieval helmet”
17th Century
French
bassinet
“A small basin or basin-shaped container”
19th Century
English
bassinet
“A small bed or basket for an infant”