jute
UK[dʒuːt]US[dʒuːt]
n
A rough fiber made from the stems of a tropical plant, used for making rope and cloth.
Etymology
The word 'jute' entered English in the 18th century from Bengali, where it is called 'jhuto' or 'jhuṭo'. The Bengali term is believed to originate from the Sanskrit word 'jūṭa', meaning 'twisted hair' or 'braid of hair', which is a fitting description for the plant's fibrous strands. This term traveled through local Indian languages into the lexicon of the British colonial trade, where it was simplified to 'jute'. Thus, the modern English word for the coarse fiber directly preserves its ancient name, reflecting its origin as a key commodity from the Bengal region.
Analysis
This word is a loanword adopted as a single, unanalyzable unit in English.
Examples
The sacks were woven from sturdy jute.
Jute is a major cash crop in Bangladesh and parts of India.
She used a length of jute twine to tie up the package.