Donate SIGN UP

Shampoo

Avatar Image
derekpara | 20:48 Wed 09th Feb 2011 | Word Origins
4 Answers
What is the origin of the word, Shampoo ? Could it Indian, or French ?

Cheers

D
Gravatar

Answers

1 to 4 of 4rss feed

Best Answer

No best answer has yet been selected by derekpara. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.

For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.
Hindi word referring to head massage
Chambers has it as being from the Hindi word capna meaning to squeeze.
Question Author
Thank you both very much.

D
The word shampoo originates in India from the Hindi champo which means massage. It was first used by Hans Sloane (of Sloane Square fame who introduced several words into English including samurai and vivisection, as well as being a great fan of cocoa). In 1698 he describes what he calls champing as a massage instrument used in China. This idea of shampoo = massage was in vogue continuously for 150 years, often with an exotic flavour as something done in Asia.

In its current sense relating to cleaning hair, the word was first used in Worcester’s A Dictionary of the English Language which was published in Boston in 1860. For 30 years, this was the benchmark for dictionaries in America. It was the first American dictionary to include many diagrams and to provide synonyms. But at the beginning, having a shampoo was not much fun. Only soap was used. Later herbs were added.
Source EVS Translations: http://www.evs-translations.com/blog-com/shampoo/

1 to 4 of 4rss feed

Do you know the answer?

Shampoo

Answer Question >>