Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “toiletry” come from?

toiletry (English) comes from English toilet, from French toilette, from French Toile, from Old French toile, from Old French teile, from Latin tēla, from Old Dutch tegela, from Proto-Germanic *tigulā — to cover; pole, stick, beam.

toiletry (English): Any item used for personal hygiene or grooming

Definitions

  1. Any item used for personal hygiene or grooming

Ancestry of “toiletry”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtoiletA covering of linen, silk, or tapestry, spread...
2Frenchtoilettetoilet; the toilet, lavatory
3FrenchToile—
4Old Frenchtoilefabric; web
5Old FrenchteileAlternative form of toile
6Latintēla—
7Old Dutchtegela—
8Proto-Germanic*tigulā—
9Proto-Germanictigulǭtile; brick
10Latintēgula—
11Latintegō—
12Proto-Italictegōcover
13Proto-Indo-European(s)teg-to cover; pole, stick, beam
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)teg- →