Where does “dropcloth” come from?

dropcloth (English) comes from English drop, from Middle English droppen, from Old English dropian, from Old English -ian, from Old English -ōjan, from Proto-West Germanic -ōn, from Proto-Germanic -ōną, from Proto-Indo-European -eh₂yéti — he, she.

dropcloth (English): A large piece of plastic or canvas put over...

Definitions

  1. A large piece of plastic or canvas put over...

Ancestry of “dropcloth”, step by step

dropcloth traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English drop

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdropA small quantity of liquid, just large enough to...
2Middle EnglishdroppenTo drip; to fall in drops
3Old Englishdropianto drop
4Old English-ianForms verbs from nouns and adjectives
5Old English-ōjan
6Proto-West Germanic-ōnCreates denominative verbs from nouns; Creates...
7Proto-Germanic-ōnąCreates denominative verbs from nouns; Creates...
8Proto-Indo-European-eh₂yétiCreates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive...
9Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
10Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-
11Chichewaiyehe, she

via English cloth

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishclothA woven fabric such as used in dressing,...
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
Every word from Chichewa iyeEvery word from Proto-Indo-European -yétiEvery word from Proto-Germanic -ōną