burlap

Etymology

Uncertain. Attested since about 1695 in the spelling bore-lap, borelapp. Likely from burel (“a coarse woollen cloth”) + lap (“flap of a garment”), where the first element is from Middle English burel, borel. Others feel that "its character and time of appearance makes a Dutch origin very likely" (and the earliest references as to its importation from the Netherlands); the NED suggests derivation from Dutch boenlap (“coarse, rubbing linen or cloth”) with the first element perhaps confused with boer; Bense instead suggests derivation from an unattested Dutch *boerenlap, where *boeren supposedly has an extended sense of "coarse" as in Dutch boerenkost (“coarse, heavy food as is eaten by farmers”) and boerengoed (from Dutch boer (“farmer, peasant”); compare English boor), though this word is not attested.

noun

1. (US) A very strong, coarse cloth, made from jute, flax, or hemp, and used to make sacks, etc.
   “A ranger responded and found two whole chickens in a burlap sack in a hot spring,” she said. A cooking pot was also found nearby. 2020-11-11, Johnny Diaz, Concepción de León, “3 Visitors Banned From Yellowstone After Cooking Chickens in Hot Spring”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

verb

1. (transitive) To wrap or cover in burlap.