Where does “pillowcase” come from?
Pillowcase comes from Middle English pilwecas, combining Middle English pilwe from Old English pyle, from Latin casus meaning "fall" or "chance," derived from Latin cadere meaning "to fall."
pillowcase (English): A washable, easily removable cloth cover for...
Definitions
- A washable, easily removable cloth cover for...
Ancestry of “pillowcase”, step by step
pillowcase traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Case
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Case | abstract feature of a noun phrase that determines... |
| 2 | German | Käse | cheese; nonsense |
| 3 | Middle High German | kæse | cheese |
| 4 | Old High German | kāsi | cheese |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | kāsī | cheese |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | kāsijaz | cheese |
| 7 | Latin | cāseus | cheese |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | kwat- | to ferment, become sour; to boil |
via English pillow
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | pillow | A soft cushion used to support the head in bed; A... |
| 2 | Middle English | pilwe | A soft stuffed bag; a cushion or pillow; A pad; a... |
| 3 | Old English | pyle | pillow |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *pulwī | pillow, cushion, bolster |
| 5 | Latin | pulvīnus | a cushion, pillow, bolster to sit or lie upon |
| 6 | Latin | pulvis | dust, powder; an arena, place of contest |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pel- | to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold |