Where does “handwashing” come from?
handwashing (English) comes from English handwash, from English wash, from Middle English washen, from Old English wasċan, from Proto-West Germanic waskan, from Proto-Germanic waskaną, from Proto-Germanic watskaną, from Proto-Indo-European wed- — to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...
handwashing (English): Washing of one's hands
Definitions
- Washing of one's hands
Ancestry of “handwashing”, step by step
handwashing traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English handwash
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | handwash | A liquid soap for washing the hands |
| 2 | English | wash | To clean with water; To move or erode by the... |
| 3 | Middle English | washen | — |
| 4 | Old English | wasċan | to wash |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | waskan | to wash |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | waskaną | to wash |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | watskaną | to wash, get wet |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | wed- | water |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | wey- | to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;... |