écoutille

hatch, hatchway

Inherited from Middle French escoutille, from Spanish escotilla, from Spanish escotar (“to make a neckline; cut something low”), probably from Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍄𐍃 (skauts, “end; edge of a garment”), from Proto-Germanic *skautaz (“corner; wedge; lap”). Compare German Schoß (“lap; fold”), English sheet. More at sheet.