Coir
/ˈkɔɪ.ər/noun
A coarse fiber made from the husk of coconuts, used for ropes, mats, brushes, and similar products.
Did you know?Coir comes from a South Indian word for coconut fiber, ultimately tied to the same Dravidian source as several regional terms for the coconut itself, showing how trade can carry words as surely as goods.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Dravidian
PD
*kayr / *kayar
“Likely a word for coir, cord, or twisted fiber”
Tamil
Ta
kayiru
“Rope, cord, or string”
Malayalam
Ml
kayar
“Coir, rope, or twisted fiber”
16th-17th Century
Portuguese/English
coir
“Coconut fiber or cordage imported from South Asia”
Modern English
En
coir
“The coarse fiber obtained from coconut husks”