Where does “cloutless” come from?
cloutless (English) comes from English clout, from Middle English clout, from Old English clūt, from Proto-West Germanic klūt, from Proto-Germanic klūtaz, from Proto-Indo-European gelewdos, from Indo-European *gel-.
cloutless (English): Lacking (especially political) influence or effectiveness
Definitions
- Lacking (especially political) influence or effectiveness
Ancestry of “cloutless”, step by step
cloutless traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English clout
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | clout | Influence or effectiveness, especially political;... |
| 2 | Middle English | clout | A piece of fabric; a shred; A piece of fabric;... |
| 3 | Old English | clūt | a small piece of cloth or leather, rag, patch |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | klūt | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | klūtaz | lump, clod; boulder, rock; hill |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gelewdos | — |
| 7 | Indo-European | *gel- | — |