1590s, "fine Spanish leather," from adjective Cordovan, from Spanish cordovan (modern cordoban), from cordovano (adj.) "of Cordova," the Spanish city, former capital of Moorish Spain; a later adoption of the same word that became cordwain (see cordwainer). The city name is from Phoenician qorteb "oil press."[cordovan etymology, cordovan origin, 英语词源]