Cockpit
/ˈkɒk.pɪt/noun
The enclosed area from which an aircraft is controlled; originally, a pit or enclosure for cockfighting.
Did you know?In 16th–17th century English, a cockpit was a place for cockfighting, and later the same word was used for the cramped command center of a ship or aircraft because it was often a small, enclosed, central space.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
cocc
“male chicken; rooster”
Old English
OE
pytt
“pit, hole, excavation”
16th Century
English
cock pit
“a pit or enclosure for cockfighting”
17th Century
English
cockpit
“a small enclosed place on a ship, especially near the stern; also a place for fighting cocks”
20th Century
English
cockpit
“the enclosed control compartment of an aircraft”