Where does “oilcloth” come from?
Oilcloth comes from Middle English cloth derived from Old French oile and Latin oleum, meaning olive oil or oil in general.
oilcloth (English): A fabric or cloth treated on one side with a...
Definitions
- A fabric or cloth treated on one side with a...
Ancestry of “oilcloth”, step by step
oilcloth traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English oil
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | oil | Liquid fat; Petroleum-based liquid used as fuel... |
| 2 | Middle English | oyle | The oil pressed from olives; olive oil; Oil as... |
| 3 | Old French | oile | oil |
| 4 | Latin | oleum | olive oil; the palaestra |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ἔλαιον | olive oil, commonly used as an anointing oil; any... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ἐλαία | olive tree; olive; naevus |
| 7 | Proto-Hellenic | elaíwā | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | loiwom | — |
via English cloth
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | cloth | A woven fabric such as used in dressing,... |
| 2 | Middle English | cloþ | Alternative form of cloth; cloth, garment |
| 3 | Old English | clāþ | cloth, clothes, covering, sail |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | klaiþą | cloth |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gleyt- | to cling to, cleave, stick |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gley- | to glue, paste, stick together; to glue, stick... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | gel- | to be cold, to freeze |