Origin and history of etiquette

1520s, "short note or document," from a shortened form of French etiquet "label, note," from Old French estiquette "a little note" (late 14c.), especially one affixed to a gate or wall as a public notice, literally "something stuck (up or on)," from estiquer "to affix, stick on, attach," from Frankish *stikkan, cognate with Old English stician "to pierce," from Proto-Germanic *stikken "to be stuck," stative form from PIE *steig- "to stick; pointed" (see stick (v.)).

Compare etiquette. Especially a written or printed card or paper slip affixed to something to indicate the contents, nature, price, or give some special notice. The specific meaning "card or piece of paper that gives its holder a right or privilege, token or evidence of a right or contract privilege or evidence of debt" is by 1670s, probably developing from the sense of "certificate, licence, permit."

The political sense of "list of candidates put forward by a faction or party" has been used in American English since 1711. The meaning "official notification of an offense" is from 1930.

Big ticket item is from 1953, in reference to price tickets. Slang the ticket "the right or correct thing, what is expected" is recorded from 1838 (Halliburton), perhaps with notion of a winning lottery ticket.

"proper style and manners in communicating on the internet," 1993, coined punningly from net, short for internet + etiquette.