Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “clothes” come from?

Clothes derives from English clothe plus the English plural suffix -s, from Middle English -s, from Proto-Germanic klaiþą meaning "to stick or adhere," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gel- meaning "to ball up or wind."

clothes (English): Items of clothing; apparel; plural of cloth; The...

Definitions

  1. Items of clothing; apparel; plural of cloth; The...

Ancestry of “clothes”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishcloþesAlternative form of clothes
2Middle EnglishcloþAlternative form of cloth; cloth, garment
3Old Englishclāþcloth, clothes, covering, sail
4Proto-Germanicklaiþącloth
5Proto-Indo-Europeangleyt-to cling to, cleave, stick
6Proto-Indo-Europeangley-to glue, paste, stick together; to glue, stick...
7Proto-Indo-Europeangel-to be cold, to freeze

Words derived from “clothes”

  • clothesline
  • underclothes
  • nightclothes
  • clothespin
  • graveclothes
  • smallclothes
  • clotheshorse
  • clothespress
  • clothesman
  • clothesbasket
  • clothesbrush
  • overclothes
  • clothesless
  • clothespeg
  • clothesmaker
  • shortclothes
  • clothesmaking
  • clothestree
  • clothist
  • rainclothes
  • clothescare
  • clotheswoman
  • klos meri
  • klos
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gel- →