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Origin and history of coracle

coracle(n.)

"round boat of wicker, coated with skins," used by fishermen on the coast of Wales and parts of Ireland, 1540s (the thing is described, but not named, in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle from 9c.), from Welsh corwgl, from corwg, cognate with Gaelic curachan, Middle Irish curach "boat," which probably is the source of Middle English currock "coracle" (mid-15c.). The name is perhaps from the hides that cover it (see corium).

Entries linking to coracle

"innermost layer of the skin," 1836, from Latin corium "skin, hide, leather," related to cortex "bark," scortum "skin, hide," from PIE root *sker- (1) "to cut" (compare Sanskrit krtih "hide;" Old Church Slavonic scora "skin," Russian skora "hide," kora "bark;" Welsh corwg "boat made with leather skins," all from the same root).

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