Where does “linsey-woolsey” come from?
linsey-woolsey (English) comes from English wool, from Middle English wolle, from Old English wull, from Proto-West Germanic wullu, from Proto-Germanic wullō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂wĺ̥h₁neh₂, from Proto-Indo-European -nós — Creates verbal adjectives from roots.
linsey-woolsey (English): A fabric made of both linen and wool; Worthless...
Definitions
- A fabric made of both linen and wool; Worthless...
Ancestry of “linsey-woolsey”, step by step
linsey-woolsey traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English wool
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | wool | The hair of the sheep, llama and some other... |
| 2 | Middle English | wolle | wool coat of sheep, especially when used to make fabric |
| 3 | Old English | wull | wool |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | wullu | wool |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | wullō | wool |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂wĺ̥h₁neh₂ | wool |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -nós | Creates verbal adjectives from roots |