Where does “plain work” come from?

plain work (English) comes from English plain, from Middle English pleyn, from Anglo-Norman pleyn, from Old French playn, from Old French plain, from Latin plēnus, from Proto-Italic plēnos, from Proto-Indo-European pl̥h₁nós — to fill.

plain work (English): Basic, non-ornamental work; specifically simple...

Definitions

  1. Basic, non-ornamental work; specifically simple...

Ancestry of “plain work”, step by step

plain work traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English plain

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishplainFlat, level; Simple; Obvious
2Middle Englishpleynclear; unambiguous
3Anglo-NormanpleynAlternative form of plein
4Old Frenchplayn—
5Old Frenchplainfull; plain; flat
6Latinplēnusfull; filled; complete
7Proto-Italicplēnosfull
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpl̥h₁nósfull
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpleh₁-to fill

via English work

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishwork"Employment."; "Effort."; Sustained effort to...
2Middle Englishwerkwork
3Old Englishweorcwork, in various senses, including
4Proto-West Germanicwerkwork
5Proto-Germanicwerkąwork
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwérǵomwork
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwerǵ-to make
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pleh₁- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European pl̥h₁nós →Every word from Proto-Italic plēnos →