A variety of unproven Latin etymologies have been proposed , including condon ( receptacle ) , condamina ( house ) , and cumdum ( scabbard or case ) . It have also been speculated to be from the Italian word guantone , derived from guanto , meaning glove . William E. Kruck wrote an article in 1981 concluding that , " As for the word ' condom ' , I need state only that its origin remain completely unknown , and there end this search for an etymology . " Modern dictionaries may also list the etymology as " unknown " .