sable: [14] The sable, an animal like a large weasel with valuable fur, lives in northern Europe and Asia, and its name reflects where it comes from – for it is of Slavic origin, related to Russian sóbol’. It came west with the fur trade, and was borrowed into medieval Latin as sabellum. From there it made its way into English via Old French sable. [sable etymology, sable origin, 英语词源]