Where does “mantelpiece” come from?
Mantelpiece comes from Middle English mantylpece, combining mantel (from Old French mantel, from Latin mantellum, a cloak or covering) with piece (from Old French piece, from Latin pettia, from Gaulish pettyā, from Proto-Celtic kʷezdis).
mantelpiece (English): A shelf that is affixed to the wall above a...
Definitions
- A shelf that is affixed to the wall above a...
Ancestry of “mantelpiece”, step by step
mantelpiece traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English mantel
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | mantel | The shelf above a fireplace which may be also a... |
| 2 | English | mantle | A piece of clothing somewhat like an open robe or... |
| 3 | Middle English | mantel | A mantle or robe; a loose overcoat |
| 4 | Old English | mæntel | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | *mantel | — |
| 6 | Latin | mantēllum | — |
| 7 | Latin | mantum | a Spanish cloak |
| 8 | Gaulish | mantos | — |
| 9 | Proto-Celtic | mantos | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | menH- | tread, press together; crumble |
via English piece
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | piece | A part of a larger whole, usually in such a form... |
| 2 | Middle English | pece | piece; morsel; bit |
| 3 | Old French | piece | piece, bit, part; circa 1170, Chrétien de Troyes |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | pettia | piece, portion |
| 5 | Latin | pettia | piece, portion |
| 6 | Gaulish | pettyā | — |
| 7 | Proto-Celtic | kʷezdis | piece, portion |