lanyard

Meaning

Noun

• A short rope used for fastening rigging, as a handle, etc.
• A cord worn around the neck, shoulder, or wrist which is attached to a small object to be carried such as an identity card or security pass, key, knife, or whistle.
• A cord with a hook which is secured to an artillery piece, and pulled to fire the weapon.

Origin

• From Late Middle English lainer, lainere, lanyer (with the ending modified in the 17th century under the influence of yard), from Old French laniere, lasniere (modern French lanière), from lasne, a metathetic alteration of nasle, nasliere, influenced by lane, las, or laz; nasliere is derived from Old Dutch *nastila, from Proto-West Germanic *nastilu, from Proto-Indo-European *ned-. The English word is cognate with Old High German nestila (modern German Nestel), Old Norse nesta.