Where does “powder” come from?
Powder comes from Middle English pouder, from Old French poudre, from Latin pulvis meaning dust, ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European pel-.
powder (English): The fine particles which are the result of...
Definitions
- The fine particles which are the result of...
Ancestry of “powder”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | poudre | powder; The results of the decomposition of one's... |
| 2 | Old French | poudre | powder; dust |
| 3 | Late Latin | pulvera | — |
| 4 | Latin | pulvis | dust, powder; an arena, place of contest |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | pel- | to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold |
Words derived from “powder”