Etymology

abaca

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Today it means: Musa textilis, a species of banana tree native to the Philippines grown for its textile, rope- and papermaking fibre. Full definition →

First used First attested in the mid 18ᵗʰ century.Spanish abacá ← Tagalog abaka ← Proto-Philippine *abaká?
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The story

  1. Arabicالْأَبَقَ (al-ʔabaqa)bor.?
  2. Proto-Philippine*abaká?
  3. Tagalogabaka
  4. Spanishabacá
  5. English todayabaca

From Spanish abacá, from Tagalog abaka.

First known use, by meaning

  • First attested in the mid 18ᵗʰ century. Musa textilis, a species of banana tree native to the Philippines grown for its textile, rope- and papermaking fibre.
  • First attested in the mid 18ᵗʰ century. The fiber of this plant, used in rope, fibers, and cloth.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.