costard etymology

Etymology:

  • Middle English: costerde
  • Old French: costirde
  • Latin: crosta, meaning "crust" or "rind"

Meaning:

  • An apple with a rough, ribbed skin, typically used for cooking
  • A type of ribbed cloth or fabric
  • A head or skull (archaic)

Origin:

The term "costard" derives from the Latin "crosta," meaning "crust" or "rind." It was originally used to describe the rough, ribbed skin of certain types of apples. Over time, the term came to be used more generally for any object with a similar texture, including fabric and the human skull.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, "costard" was also used as a slang term for a head or skull, likely due to its resemblance to the ribbed surface of an apple. This usage is exemplified in William Shakespeare's play "Henry IV, Part 1," where the character Falstaff refers to his head as a "costard."

Today, the term "costard" is primarily used in relation to culinary apples and is no longer commonly used to describe cloth or the head.

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