Pagne
/ˈpæŋ/noun
A brightly patterned rectangular cloth worn as a wraparound garment, especially in parts of West and Central Africa.
Did you know?The word traveled through French from Portuguese pano, ultimately descending from Latin pannus, meaning “cloth”—the same root behind English words such as pane and panel.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
pannus
“Cloth, fabric, or a piece of material”
Medieval Latin
Latin
pannus
“Textile or garment material”
15th–16th Century
Portuguese
pano
“Cloth or fabric”
17th Century
French
pagne
“A cloth worn as a wraparound garment in Africa”
19th Century
French
pagne
“A brightly patterned African waistcloth or dress cloth”
Modern English
English
pagne
“A patterned wraparound cloth associated especially with West and Central African dress”