Where does “tuala” come from?
tuala (Central Melanau) comes from Malay tuala, from Portuguese toalha, from Old Occitan toalha, from Medieval Latin toallia, from Frankish þwahilu, from Proto-Germanic þwahaną — to wash, bathe.
tuala (Central Melanau): towel
Ancestry of “tuala”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Malay | tuala | towel |
| 2 | Portuguese | toalha | towel; table cloth |
| 3 | Old Occitan | toalha | — |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | toallia | towel, washcloth |
| 5 | Frankish | þwahilu | towel, washcloth; cloth |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | þwahaną | to wash, bathe |