An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Samt

by Friedrich Kluge

Samt, masculine, ‘velvet,’ from the equivalent Middle High German samît, samâdt, masculine; borrowed in the Middle High German period from Romance; compare Middle Latin samîtum, Italian sciamito, Old French samit. The ultimate source is Middle Latin examîtum, Modern Greek ἐξάμιτον, ‘a stuff made of six twisted threads’ (Greek μὲτος, ‘thread’), whence also Old Slovenian aksamitŭ, ‘velvet.’ Spanish and Portuguese terciopelo, ‘velvet,’ literally ‘consisting of triple threads,’ is similarly formed.