Sarsenet
/ˈsɑːrsənɪt/noun
A fine, soft silk fabric, often plain-woven and used for clothing or lining.
Did you know?Sarsenet is one of those textile words that likely entered English through Old French from a medieval Latin form tied to silk trade, showing how luxury goods carried their names across empires.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval Latin
ML
saracenum / saracenus?
“A term associated in medieval trade language with a silk fabric or silky cloth, probably linked to the broader medieval naming of eastern luxury goods.”
Old French
OF
sarrazin / sarrasin
“A form associated with Eastern or Saracen goods; used in naming a fine silk fabric.”
14th Century
English
sarsenet
“A fine silk fabric, especially one used for garments or linings.”
Modern English
English
sarsenet
“A fine, soft silk fabric.”