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Etymology
Dictionary
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Origin and Etymology of the word
KIT-CAT, KIT-KAT.
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From An Etymology
Dictionary of the English Language, by Walter W. Skeat, 1893 |
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KIT-CAT, KIT-KAT,
the name given to portraits of a particular kind. (Personal
name.) α. A portrait of about 28 by 36 in. in size is thus called,
because it was the size adopted by Sir Godfrey Kneller (died 1723) for painting
portraits of the members of the Kit-kat club. β. This club, founded
in 1703, was so named because the members used to dine at the house of
Christopher Kat, a pastry-cook in King's Street, Westminster; Haydn, Dict. of
Dates. γ. Kit is a familiar abbreviation of Christopher, a name of
Gk. origin, from Gk. Χριστο-φόρος, lit. 'Christ-bearing.' [†]
ADDENDA
'Immortal made, as Kit-cat
by his pies;' W. King, Art of Cookery, let. viii. First pr. in
1708. This well exemplifies the etymology, from the name of a
pastry-cook of that period.
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| Etymology
Dictionary Index |
| A, B,
C, D, E,
F, G, H,
I, J, K,
L, M, N,
O, P, Q,
R, S, T,
U, V, W,
X, Y, Z
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| Key |
| Arab.=Arabic. |
| A.S.=Anglo
Saxon. |
| Bavar.=Bavarian |
| Bohem.=Bohemian. |
| C.=Celtic,
used as a general term for Irish, Gaelic, Welsh, Breton,
Cornish, &c. |
| Corn.=Cornish. |
| Dan.=Danish. |
| Du.=Dutch |
| E.=English. |
| E.E.=Early
English. |
| Europ.=European. |
| F.=French. |
| G.=German. |
| Gk.=Greek. |
| Goth.=Gothic. |
| Icel.=Icelandic. |
| Ital.=Italian. |
| L. or
Lat.=Latin. |
| Lith.
& Lithuan.=Lithuanian. |
| M.E.=Middle
English. |
| M.F.=Middle
French |
| M.H.G.=Middle
High German. |
| Norw.=Norwegian. |
| O.F.=Old
French. |
| O.H.G.=Old
High German. |
| Pers.=Persian. |
| Port.=Portuguese. |
| Scand.=Scandinavian,
used as a general term for Icelandic, Swedish, Danish,
&c. |
| Sc.=Scottish. |
| Skt.=Sanskrit. |
| Span.=Spanish. |
| Swed.=Sweish. |
| Teut.=Teutonic |
| Turk.=Turkish. |
| W.=Welsh. |
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