Where does “clothier” come from?
Clothier comes from Middle English clother plus the agent suffix -er (from Old French -er, Latin -are, and ultimately Proto-Indo-European gel-), denoting one who makes or sells cloth.
clothier (English): A person who makes or sells cloth or clothing
Definitions
- A person who makes or sells cloth or clothing
Ancestry of “clothier”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | cloth | A woven fabric such as used in dressing,... |
| 2 | Middle English | cloþ | Alternative form of cloth; cloth, garment |
| 3 | Old English | clāþ | cloth, clothes, covering, sail |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | klaiþą | cloth |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gleyt- | to cling to, cleave, stick |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gley- | to glue, paste, stick together; to glue, stick... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | gel- | to be cold, to freeze |