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"chalk" in seven languages

Meaningchalk

Spanish

tiza

/ˈtiθa/

fem.other source · Nahuatl tizatl 'white earth'

French

craie

/kʁɛ/

fem.inherited

Italian

gesso

/ˈdʒɛsso/

masc.other source · Latin GYPSUM, from Greek gýpsos

Portuguese

giz

/ʒis/

masc.other source · Arabic jibs 'gypsum' (from Greek gýpsos)

Romanian

cretă

/ˈkretə/

fem.learned

Catalan

guix

/ɡiʃ/

masc.other source · Latin GYPSUM, from Greek gýpsos

English

chalk

/tʃɔk/

other source · Latin calx (Old English cealc)

English → ItalianchalkgessoNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: cretaceous; gypsum (Italian's source).What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

CRĒTAM‘chalk, clay’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

Spanish classroom chalk came from Mexico; the Latin word survives in Spanish greda 'clay'. The Cretaceous period is named after the chalk beds it laid down.

English relatives: cretaceous; gypsum (Italian's source)

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