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"cup" in seven languages

Meaningcup

Spanish

taza

/ˈtaθa/

fem.borrowed · Andalusian Arabic ṭássa

French

tasse

/tas/

fem.borrowed · Arabic ṭassa, probably by way of Provençal tassa

Italian

tazza

/ˈtattsa/

fem.borrowed · Arabic ṭassa

Portuguese

xícara

/ˈʃikaɾɐ/

fem.other source · Nahuatl xicalli 'gourd bowl', via Spanish jícara

European Portuguese says chávena.

Romanian

ceașcă

/ˈtʃaʃkə/

fem.other source · Slavic čaška 'cup'

Catalan

tassa

/ˈtasə/

fem.borrowed · Arabic ṭassa

English

cup

/kʌp/

other source · Old English cuppe, from Late Latin CUPPA

English → ItaliancuptazzaNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh.What English and Italian share

The ancestor

Arabic ṭassa‘bowl, basin (from Persian tašt)’

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

The story

The everyday cup came across the Mediterranean from Arabic. English cup kept Late Latin CUPPA instead, whose descendants in the sisters are the stemmed glass and the trophy: copa, coupe, coppa.

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In a sentence

  • esUna taza de té, por favor.
  • frUne tasse de thé, s'il vous plaît.
  • itUna tazza di tè, per favore.
  • ptUma xícara de chá, por favor.
  • roO ceașcă de ceai, vă rog.
  • caUna tassa de te, si us plau.
  • enA cup of tea, please.

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