"piece of furniture with conveniences for writing," 1706, from French écritoire (Old French escritoire, 12c., "desk, carrel"), from Late Latin scriptorium "place for writing" (see scriptorium).
Entries linking to escritoire
scriptorium n.
"writing room," especially a room set apart in a monastery or abbey for writing or copying manuscripts, 1774, an antiquarian's word, from Late Latin scriptorium "place for writing," noun use of neuter of Latin scriptorius "pertaining to writing," from Latin scriptus, past participle of scribere "to write" (from PIE root *skribh- "to cut"). It was in Middle English in a nativized form, scriptory (early 15c.).