The story
From Osnaburg, the former English name of the German city of Osnabrück (from which it may have been first imported into English-speaking countries).
First known use, by meaning
- from 15th c. A plain, coarse textile fabric made from flax, tow or jute yarns.
- from 17th c. Designating or made from this fabric.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.