Where does “tailpiece” come from?

tailpiece (English) comes from English piece, from Middle English pece, from Old French piece, from Vulgar Latin pettia, from Latin pettia, from Gaulish pettyā, from Proto-Celtic kʷezdis — piece, portion.

tailpiece (English): An appendage or appendix; An element, often...

Definitions

  1. An appendage or appendix; An element, often...

Ancestry of “tailpiece”, step by step

tailpiece traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English piece

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpieceA part of a larger whole, usually in such a form...
2Middle Englishpecepiece; morsel; bit
3Old Frenchpiecepiece, bit, part; circa 1170, Chrétien de Troyes
4Vulgar Latinpettiapiece, portion
5Latinpettiapiece, portion
6Gaulishpettyā
7Proto-Celtickʷezdispiece, portion

via English Tail

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishTailA Chinese constellation coinciding with the tail of Scorpius, one of the 28 lunar mansions and the tail of Azure Dragon
2Middle EnglishtaylA tail; The back side or reverse of a creature; A...
3Old Englishtæġltail
4Proto-Germanictagląhair; ponytail; hair of a tail; tail
5Proto-Indo-Europeandoḱ-hair of the tail
6Proto-Indo-Europeandeḱ-take; perceive
Every word from Proto-Celtic kʷezdis