Where does “feather duster” come from?
feather duster (English) comes from English duster, from English dust, from German dust, from Middle Low German dust, from Old French joste, from Latin juxta, from Latin iuxta, from Proto-Italic jougestād — to join, to yoke, to tie together.
feather duster (English): An implement, traditionally consisting of a...
Definitions
- An implement, traditionally consisting of a...
Ancestry of “feather duster”, step by step
feather duster traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English duster
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | duster | An object, now especially a cloth, used for... |
| 2 | English | dust | Fine particles; The act of cleaning by dusting;... |
| 3 | German | dust | — |
| 4 | Middle Low German | dust | — |
| 5 | Old French | joste | joust |
| 6 | Latin | juxta | Alternative form of iū̆xtā; near to, nigh |
| 7 | Latin | iuxta | nearly; near, close to; just as |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | jougestād | — |
| 9 | Proto-Italic | jougestos | — |
| 10 | Proto-Italic | jougos | yoked animals, team |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | yéwgos | team, pair of yoked animals |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | yewg- | to join, to yoke, to tie together |
via English feather
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | feather | A branching, hair-like structure that grows on... |
| 2 | German | feder | feather |
| 3 | Middle High German | vëdere | feather |
| 4 | Old High German | fedara | feather |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | feþru | feather |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | feþrō | feather |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | péth₂r̥ | wing; feather |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | peth₂- | to spread out; to fly |