Orts

Try the Oxford English Dictionary (commonly known as the OED). It not only defines words, but also identifies when each word was first used with a particular definition or in a particular context. For example, you can discover when the word "brave" was first used to describe a Native American warrior. Sorry I don't currently have a copy of the OED handy, but it is a fabulous source!

Here's the Merriam-Webster definition

I have access to the online OED through my library's web site. Their definition is:

"A fragment of food left over from a meal; fodder left by cattle; a refuse scrap; leavings. Usu. in pl. Also fig.: a fragment, esp. of wisdom, wit, knowledge, etc."

The earliest citation is from 1325. The newest citation is:

"2000 Piecework May-June 5/1 Thread ends are sometimes called ?orts?, a term that originally referred to food scraps left over after a meal."

No indication of when needleworkers first started using the term.

--Charlene

Thanks everyone. It's not a big issue but I find it interesting, especially since a google search turned up a gazillion and three pages and sites that have information about ort kits, ort holders, and ort etceteras.

I just Googled RCTN and my oldest user name, and got back as far as late