The Etymology of Lanyard
Lanyard came into English from Old French laniere or lasniere, meaning a strap or thong, of obscure further origin (possibly Frankish, possibly a substrate word). It was first borrowed as lanyer in the 14th century. By the early 17th century the spelling had been reshaped to lanyard, almost certainly under the influence of yard — both the unit of length and, more importantly here, the nautical word yard meaning a spar to which a sail is attached. In the language of sailing ships, lanyards were short ropes used to secure rigging, lash equipment, or operate gunlocks — and the nautical sense dominated for two centuries. Soldiers and sailors wore short lanyards on their uniforms to hold whistles, knives, or pocket-watches. In the 20th century the word broadened to cover any cord worn around the neck or wrist for a small carried object. The modern conference-badge lanyard, mass-produced in printed polyester, is a recent extension — but the basic idea (a thong tied to a thing one needs not to lose) is medieval.