'baize' originates from Old French, specifically the word 'baise' (or 'bais'), where the term referred to a kind of coarse cloth.

'baize' changed from Middle English forms such as 'beyse'/'beys' (borrowed from Old French 'baise'/'bais') and eventually became the modern English word 'baize'.

Initially, it meant 'a kind of coarse cloth' (often named for its color or type), and over time it kept the same general sense, coming to refer specifically to the thick woollen cloth used for table coverings.