écoutille

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French escoutille, from Spanish escotilla, from Spanish escotar (“to make a neckline; cut something low”), probably from Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍄𐍃 (skauts, “end; edge of a garment”), from Proto-Germanic *skautaz (“corner; wedge; lap”). Compare German Schoß (“lap; fold”), English sheet. More at sheet.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /e.ku.tij/

Noun

écoutille f (plural écoutilles)

1. hatch, hatchway

Further reading

• “écoutille”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.