Canvas
/ˈkæn.vəs/noun
A strong, plain-woven cloth used for sails, tents, painting, and other heavy-duty purposes.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Latin cannabis, because the original canvas was made from hemp fibers—so this everyday art word is secretly tied to the same ancient plant root as cannabis.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kan(n)a-
“A hemp-like plant or reed, the ancestral source behind the Latin word for hemp”
Latin
Latin
cannabis
“Hemp”
Late Latin
Latin
cannapaceus / canevacius
“Made of hemp; hemp cloth”
Old Northern French
Old French
canevaz
“Hemp cloth, sailcloth”
Middle English
English
canvas
“Coarse hemp cloth, especially for sails and tents”
Modern English
English
canvas
“Strong plain-woven cloth, especially for sails or painting”