Cotton in different languages

Cotton in Different Languages

Discover 'Cotton' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

Cotton, a soft and fluffy staple fiber, has been a significant part of human history and culture for thousands of years. It is the world's most widely used natural fiber, playing a crucial role in various industries, including textiles, agriculture, and medicine. The importance of cotton extends beyond its practical uses, as it has been interwoven with human civilization in many fascinating ways.

For instance, did you know that cotton was cultivated in Mexico as early as 3000 BC, or that the ancient Indians used cotton to make sophisticated textiles that were traded along the Silk Road? These historical contexts and more make cotton a word of global significance, one that transcends linguistic and cultural boundaries.

Understanding the translation of cotton in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural importance of this versatile fiber. Here are a few examples:

  • Spanish: algodón
  • French: coton
  • German: Baumwolle
  • Mandarin: 棉花 (miánhuā)
  • Japanese: 綿 (wata)

Stay tuned for more translations of cotton in different languages, each with its unique cultural significance and historical context.

Cotton


Cotton in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaanskatoen
The Afrikaans word "katoen" derives from the Dutch word "katoen" which in turn comes from the Arabic word "qutn" meaning "the soft white substance surrounding cotton seeds."
Amharicጥጥ
"ጥጥ" can also mean "soft". When the wind is calm and the lake or river is undisturbed, it is said to be "ጥጥ".
Hausaauduga
The Hausa word
Igboowu
The Igbo word 'owu' also refers to a type of cloth made from cotton or a person known for their bravery.
Malagasylandihazo
The word "landihazo" also refers to a cotton-like material made from the bark of a certain type of tree.
Nyanja (Chichewa)thonje
The word 'thonje' is also used to mean 'a thread' or 'a piece of cloth'.
Shonadonje
The word 'donje' in Shona also refers to the material used for making traditional clothing worn by both men and women.
Somalicudbi
Cudbi is also the term for 'soft like cotton', indicating the comfort of the fabric.
Sesothok'hothone
The Sesotho term 'k'hothone' derives from the Bantu root '-khoth-', signifying 'to pull out or pluck'.
Swahilipamba
Pamba has an alternate meaning of 'pad', such as a sanitary pad
Xhosaumqhaphu
The term "umqhaphu" in Xhosa also refers to a type of fabric made from cotton.
Yorubaowu
The word "owu" in Yoruba is believed to have originated from the exclamation "Owu o!", meaning "Look at the cotton!"
Zuluukotini
The Zulu word 'ukotini' is also used to describe the white, fluffy substance found inside mature seedpods of certain plants.
Bambarakɔɔri
Eweɖetsifu
Kinyarwandaipamba
Lingalacoton
Lugandapamba
Sepedileokodi
Twi (Akan)asaawa

Cotton in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicقطن
The word "قطن" (qutn) in Arabic, помимо "хлопка", имеет альтернативное значение "уверенность".
Hebrewכותנה
The word "כותנה" (cotton) is derived from the Arabic word "qutn", which means both "cotton" and "linen".
Pashtoپنبه
The word "پنبه" in Pashto has a similar root to the Sanskrit word "karpasa", both meaning "cotton plant".
Arabicقطن
The word "قطن" (qutn) in Arabic, помимо "хлопка", имеет альтернативное значение "уверенность".

Cotton in Western European Languages

Albanianpambuku
"Pambuku" also means "white" or "pure" in Albanian, which makes sense given the color and texture of cotton.
Basquekotoia
The word "kotoia" in Basque also refers to the "cotton plant", "cotton thread" and "cotton fabric".
Catalancotó
In old Catalan, "cotó" also meant "quilt" or "cover". In Spanish, "cotón" means "fluff". In French, "coton" can mean "wool". In English, "cotton" is a type of plant characterized by its soft, fluffy fibers.
Croatianpamuk
The word "pamuk" also has two alternative meanings in Croatian: it can refer to 1) the fibers produced by the silk cotton tree ("Ceiba pentandra") or 2) the soft silky down of certain plants.
Danishbomuld
The word "bomuld" is derived from the Arabic word "qutn", which also means "cotton". The word may have entered Danish via Dutch or German.
Dutchkatoen
The word "katoen" likely originates from the Arabic word "qutn," meaning "fine, soft thread."
Englishcotton
Cotton comes from Arabic "qutn", which also referred to the cotton plant and the fabric made from it.
Frenchcoton
The French word « coton » can also refer to the fuzzy part of a peach.
Frisiankatoen
In Frisian, "katoen" comes from the Low German word "katun", which probably comes from the Italian word "cotone". It also refers to cotton waste and the lint that comes from flax.
Galicianalgodón
In Galician, "algodón" can also mean "soft and fluffy material".
Germanbaumwolle
The word "Baumwolle" comes from the Middle High German word "bouwolle," which itself derives from the Arabic word "bawm," meaning "white plant."
Icelandicbómull
In Icelandic, "bómull" can also refer to a type of medical gauze or a specific cotton fabric used for clothing.
Irishcadás
In Irish, "cadás" can also refer to wool or waste material
Italiancotone
In Italian, "cotone" can also refer to cloth, or to the downy part of plants.
Luxembourgishkotteng
The word "Kotteng" in Luxembourgish is derived from the Old High German word "chotto", meaning "cotton". It also has the alternate meaning of "wick" in Luxembourgish.
Malteseqoton
The Maltese word "qoton" ultimately derives from the Arabic word "qutun", meaning "cotton plant", and is cognate with the English word "cotton".
Norwegianbomull
Bomull comes from the Latin word "bombacius", meaning "cotton wool".
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)algodão
In Portuguese, the word "algodão" also refers to the tree used to make cotton, known as the cotton tree or silk-cotton tree.
Scots Gaeliccotan
The Gaelic word 'cotan' is cognate with Welsh 'coten', Old Irish 'cōtain', as well as with Latin 'cottus' and Greek 'κοττος' (kottos), all meaning 'quilt' or 'felt'.
Spanishalgodón
"Algodón" is derived from the Arabic word "al-qutn" meaning "the cotton plant."
Swedishbomull
The word 'bomull' has also been used in Swedish to refer to the down of the eider duck.
Welshcotwm
The Welsh word

Cotton in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianбавоўна
The Belarusian word for "cotton" is also used to mean "cotton candy".
Bosnianpamuk
In Bosnian, "pamuk" can also refer to "cotton fabric" or "cotton clothes"
Bulgarianпамук
Памук is a Bulgarian word meaning "cotton" which is also used to refer to a soft, white, fluffy material, such as a cloud or a pillow.
Czechbavlna
Bavlnka is also the Czech word for the plant yarrow or white horehound, a flowering herb that was traditionally used to heal wounds.
Estonianpuuvill
Puuvill is also used to describe a kind of fabric that has been treated to a chemical finish that gives it water resistance.
Finnishpuuvilla
In Northern dialects of Finnish, "puuvilla" refers to "cotton wool" or "cotton batting".
Hungarianpamut-
The Hungarian word
Latviankokvilna
Latvian "kokvilna" came from French-influenced Middle Low German word "kokenwol" meaning "cotton wool".
Lithuanianmedvilnė
The word „medvilnė“ derives from the Sanskrit „mallavati“, meaning „twisted skein“.
Macedonianпамук
In Turkish, it also means ‘a tuft of cotton,’ ‘a flake of snow,’ or ‘the nap of velvet’.
Polishbawełna
In Polish, "bawełna" can also refer to a type of soft, fluffy fabric made from cotton.
Romanianbumbac
The word “bumbac” comes from the Turkish word “pamuk” which also means “cotton”.
Russianхлопок
The word "хлопок" (khlopok) is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *xlopъ, meaning "fibrous plant" or "thread," and is related to other Slavic words for textiles such as "ткань" (tkan', "fabric") and "полотно" (polotno, "linen").
Serbianпамук
In some contexts, the word "памук" can also refer to "cotton candy".
Slovakbavlna
The word "bavlna" is derived from the German word "Baumwolle" via the Hungarian word "bavalna".
Slovenianbombaž
"Bombaž" in Slovenian derives from the German word "Baumwolle" (cotton), originating from the medieval Latin "bombax" (cotton wool).
Ukrainianбавовна
In the Ukrainian language, the word "бавовна" also means "explosion" in a slang manner.

Cotton in South Asian Languages

Bengaliসুতি
The word "সুতি" (cotton) in Bengali is derived from the Sanskrit word "सूत्र" (thread).
Gujaratiકપાસ
The word "કપાસ" in Gujarati can also refer to the cotton plant or the cotton boll.
Hindiकपास
The word 'कपास' comes from the Sanskrit word 'karpasa', which also means 'cotton' and is the source of the English word 'cotton'.
Kannadaಹತ್ತಿ
The word 'ಹತ್ತಿ' also refers to cotton threads and can be used in the phrase 'ಹತ್ತಿಯ ಹಾರ', meaning a garland of cotton threads.
Malayalamപരുത്തി
The word 'പരുത്തി' ('cotton') in Malayalam shares its etymology with the Sanskrit word 'कुटीरा' ('cottage'), referring to the small-scale cottage industry surrounding its cultivation.
Marathiकापूस
The word "कापूस" (cotton) in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word "कपास" (kapas), which means "fibrous substance".
Nepaliकपास
The word "कपास" (kapas) in Nepali is derived from the Sanskrit word "karpāsa", which also means "cotton".
Punjabiਸੂਤੀ
ਸੂਤੀ also refers to a person belonging to the cotton caste, a sub-caste of the Arora people in Punjab.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)කපු
"කපු" (Kapu) is a term used in Sri Lanka to refer to a variety of substances, including cotton, kapok, and floss silk.
Tamilபருத்தி
The Tamil word 'பருத்தி' ('parutti') is also used to describe the raw material 'unprocessed cotton' in its unspun state before being made into cotton thread, yarn or fabric.
Teluguపత్తి
The word "పత్తి" can also refer to a flower in Telugu.
Urduروئی
روئی also connotes a 'soft' or 'downy' texture in Urdu.

Cotton in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)
In Chinese, "棉" also refers to cotton plants or cottonseed, and is used in compound words like "棉花" (raw cotton) and "棉布" (cotton fabric).
Chinese (Traditional)
In ancient China, "棉" was used for "silk" as well, not just cotton.
Japaneseコットン
"コットン" (ko-ton), a word used in Japanese for "cotton," can also refer to a type of bandage in the medical field.
Korean
"면" can also mean "to avoid" or "to escape".
Mongolianхөвөн
The word "хөвөн" in Mongolian also refers to a type of wild goat known as the Asiatic ibex.
Myanmar (Burmese)ဝါဂွမ်း

Cotton in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiankapas
Kapas derives from the Sanskrit word "karpasa", and is also the root of the name for the state of Karnataka in India.
Javanesekatun
In Javanese, "katun" can refer to both "cotton" and "cloth". Similar to English, where "cloth" can mean fabric made from various materials.
Khmerកប្បាស
The word "កប្បាស" (cotton) may be derived from the Pali word "kappa,
Laoຝ້າຍ
The word "ຝ້າຍ" can also refer to a ball of thread in Lao.
Malaykapas
In Sanskrit, “kapas” referred to the seed of the cotton plant, while in Malay it means the cotton itself.
Thaiผ้าฝ้าย
ผ้าฝ้าย is also used to refer to cotton fabrics, such as poplin, voile and swiss cotton.
Vietnamesebông
Bông is also used in Vietnamese to refer to a type of tree with soft, fluffy seeds, similar to cotton.
Filipino (Tagalog)bulak

Cotton in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanipambıq
The word "pambıq" comes from the Persian word "panbe", which itself is derived from the Sanskrit word "karpasa".
Kazakhмақта
The word "мақта" also means "boast" or "brag" in Kazakh.
Kyrgyzпахта
The word "пахта" in Kyrgyz is a loanword from Persian and ultimately comes from Sanskrit "patt" meaning "thread" or "fabric".
Tajikпахта
The word "пахта" derives from the Persian word "پخته" (pakhta), meaning "cooked" or "ripe".
Turkmenpagta
Uzbekpaxta
"Paxta" is derived from the Persian word "pakhta", which also means "cotton".
Uyghurپاختا

Cotton in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianpulupulu
Pulupulu, like many Polynesian words for "cotton," stems from pulu meaning "down" or "fluff," from which feathers are called pulu manu and kapok fluff is called pulu hala.
Maorimiro
The word miro can also refer to the Miro plant (Podocarpus ferrugineus), a species of conifer native to New Zealand.
Samoanvavae
The word 'vavae' can also refer to a type of traditional Samoan skirt made from cotton.
Tagalog (Filipino)bulak
The word "bulak" also refers to the fibers in coconut husks or the cotton-like material on silk trees.

Cotton in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaraqhiya
Guaranimandyju

Cotton in International Languages

Esperantokotono
"Kotono" derives from Japanese (木綿, "cotton"), possibly via English or French.
Latinbombacio
The Latin word "bombacio" also refers to a plant's stuffing.

Cotton in Others Languages

Greekβαμβάκι
The term "βαμβάκι" is a loanword from Arabic "بوط̈" (pronounced "quṭn"), which may itself derive from the Akkadian "būssu" or the Old South Arabian "bmp".
Hmongpaj rwb
"Paj rwb" can also mean "white cotton" in Hmong.
Kurdishpembo
The word "pembo" can also refer to the cotton plant or the cotton industry.
Turkishpamuk
Pamuk is also a surname in Turkey, meaning "made of cotton" or "like cotton".
Xhosaumqhaphu
The term "umqhaphu" in Xhosa also refers to a type of fabric made from cotton.
Yiddishוואַטע
The Yiddish word "וואַטע" has an alternate meaning of "wadding" or "padding."
Zuluukotini
The Zulu word 'ukotini' is also used to describe the white, fluffy substance found inside mature seedpods of certain plants.
Assameseকপাহ
Aymaraqhiya
Bhojpuriरूई
Dhivehiކަފަ
Dogriकपाह्
Filipino (Tagalog)bulak
Guaranimandyju
Ilocanokapas
Kriokɔtin
Kurdish (Sorani)لۆکە
Maithiliकपास
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯂꯁꯤꯡ
Mizola
Oromojirbii
Odia (Oriya)କପା
Quechuautku
Sanskritतूली
Tatarмамык
Tigrinyaጡጥ
Tsongarigurhu

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