A small, narrow bed, typically portable or collapsible, often used for temporary sleeping arrangements.
From Hindi 'khat' meaning 'bedstead', borrowed into English during the colonial period in India. The word entered English in the 17th century through Anglo-Indian usage, representing one of many Hindi loanwords that became standard English through imperial contact.
The humble cot represents a fascinating linguistic journey from the Indian subcontinent to English-speaking households worldwide. Unlike most furniture names that come from Latin or Germanic roots, 'cot' preserves the colonial encounter in its very syllables, reminding us that even our most basic vocabulary reflects historical global connections.
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