taper

taper · noun, verb, adjective¹

1. Latin · derived frompapyrus“papyrus", used in Mediaeval times to mean "wick of a candle”
2. Old English · inherited fromtapor“taper, candle, wick of a lamp”
3. Middle English · inherited fromtaper
4. English todaytaper

From Middle English taper, from Old English tapor (“taper, candle, wick of a lamp”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Latin papyrus (“papyrus", used in Mediaeval times to mean "wick of a candle”); If so, it is a doublet of papyrus; but compare Old French taper (“taper, slender candle or light”). Alternatively, of Celtic origin related to Irish tapar (“taper”), Welsh tampr (“a taper, torch”); further compare Sanskrit तपती (tápati, “(it) warms, gives out heat, is hot; (it) heats”). More at tepid. First attested before the 12th c.

taper · noun²

1. Old Englishtæppa
2. Middle Englishtape
3. Englishtape
4. English todaytaper

From tape + -er.

Words from the same roots