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"pencil" in seven languages

Meaningpencil

Spanish

lápiz

/ˈlapiθ/

masc.other source · Latin LAPIS 'stone' (a marking stone)

plural: lápices

French

crayon

/kʁɛjɔ̃/

masc.other source · French craie 'chalk' (Latin CRĒTAM)

Italian

matita

/maˈtita/

fem.other source · Latin (LAPIS) HAEMATĪTĒS 'bloodstone', from Greek

Portuguese

lápis

/ˈlapis/

masc.other source · Italian lapis, from Latin LAPIS 'stone'

Romanian

creion

/kreˈjon/

neut.other source · French crayon (from craie 'chalk', Latin CRĒTAM)

Catalan

llapis

/ˈʎapis/

masc.other source · Latin LAPIS 'stone' (via Spanish lápiz / Italian lapis)

English

pencil

/ˈpɛnsəl/

other source · Old French pincel (Latin PĒNICILLUM 'little tail')

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

The story

Honestly unrelated, all named after drawing minerals: a stone, chalk, and the red haematite. Careful: French crayon is a pencil, not a crayon (that is a crayon de cire).

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In a sentence

  • esEscribe a lápiz.
  • frÉcris au crayon.
  • itScrivi a matita.
  • ptEscreva a lápis.
  • roScrie cu creionul.
  • caEscriu amb llapis.
  • enWrite in pencil.

More in School & learning

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