Where does “cloth” come from?
Cloth comes from Old English clāþ, from Proto-Germanic klaiþą, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gley-, a root also connected to gel- meaning to ball up or form into a lump.
cloth (English): A woven fabric such as used in dressing,...
Definitions
- A woven fabric such as used in dressing,...
Ancestry of “cloth”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | cloþ | Alternative form of cloth; cloth, garment |
| 2 | Old English | clāþ | cloth, clothes, covering, sail |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | klaiþą | cloth |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | gleyt- | to cling to, cleave, stick |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gley- | to glue, paste, stick together; to glue, stick... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gel- | to be cold, to freeze |