Where does “pillowbook” come from?

pillowbook (English) comes from English pillow, from Middle English pilwe, from Old English pyle, from Proto-West Germanic *pulwī, from Latin pulvīnus, from Latin pulvis, from Proto-Indo-European pel- — to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold.

pillowbook (English): A journal-type book kept to record sexual dreams...

Definitions

  1. A journal-type book kept to record sexual dreams...

Ancestry of “pillowbook”, step by step

pillowbook traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English pillow

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpillowA soft cushion used to support the head in bed; A...
2Middle EnglishpilweA soft stuffed bag; a cushion or pillow; A pad; a...
3Old Englishpylepillow
4Proto-West Germanic*pulwīpillow, cushion, bolster
5Latinpulvīnusa cushion, pillow, bolster to sit or lie upon
6Latinpulvisdust, powder; an arena, place of contest
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpel-to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold

via English Book

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBookthe Bible
2Germanbūchbook collection of sheets of paper bound together to hinge at one edge; long work fit for publication
3Middle High Germanbuoch
4Old High Germanbuohbook
5Proto-Germanicbōk
6Proto-Germanicbakanąto bake
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₃g-to bake, to roast, to fry
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pel-Every word from Latin pulvisEvery word from Latin pulvīnus