Etymology

talc

T1A1L1C3

Today it means: Originally a large range of transparent or glistening foliated minerals. Examples include mica, selenite and the hydrated magnesium silicate that the term talc generally has referred to in modern times (see below). Also an item made of such a mineral and depending for its function on the special nature of the mineral (see next). Medieval writers adopted the term from the Arabic. Full definition →

Middle French talc ← Arabic طَلْق ← Persian تلک
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The story

  1. Middle Persian · derived from[Term?]“medicament”
  2. Persian · derived fromتلک
  3. Arabic · derived fromطَلْق
  4. Middle French · derived fromtalc
  5. English todaytalc

From Middle French talc, from Arabic طَلْق (ṭalq), from Persian تلک (talk), from Middle Persian [Term?] (“medicament”).

Words from the same roots

Arabicطَلْق all →

talcum

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.