Where does “clout” come from?
Clout comes from Middle English clout, Old English clūt, and Proto-Germanic klūtaz, all traced to the Proto-Indo-European root gel- meaning to ball up or form into a lump.
clout (English): Influence or effectiveness, especially political;...
Definitions
- Influence or effectiveness, especially political;...
Ancestry of “clout”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | clout | A piece of fabric; a shred; A piece of fabric;... |
| 2 | Old English | clūt | — |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | klūt | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | klūtaz | lump, clod; boulder, rock; hill |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gelewdos | — |
| 6 | Indo-European | *gel- | — |
Words derived from “clout”