Where does “dishtowel” come from?
dishtowel (English) comes from English dish, from Middle English dissh, from Old English disċ, from Proto-West Germanic disk, from Latin discus, from Proto-Italic diskō, from Proto-Italic dikskō, from Proto-Indo-European di-dḱ-ské-ti — take; perceive.
dishtowel (English): A cloth or towel used to dry dishes
Definitions
- A cloth or towel used to dry dishes
Ancestry of “dishtowel”, step by step
dishtowel traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English dish
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | dish | A vessel such as a plate for holding or serving... |
| 2 | Middle English | dissh | — |
| 3 | Old English | disċ | plate; bowl; dish |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | disk | dish |
| 5 | Latin | discus | a discus, quoit; a dish shaped like a discus;... |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | diskō | learn |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | dikskō | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | di-dḱ-ské-ti | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | deḱ- | take; perceive |
via English towel
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | towel | A cloth used for wiping, especially one used for... |
| 2 | Middle English | towayle | A cloth for washing; a towel or washcloth; A... |
| 3 | Old French | toaille | towel |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | toallia | towel, washcloth |
| 5 | Frankish | þwahilu | towel, washcloth; cloth |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | þwahaną | to wash, bathe |