Where does “towel” come from?
Towel comes from Middle English towel, from Old French toaille, from Proto-West Germanic þwahilu, ultimately from Proto-Germanic þwahaną meaning to wash.
towel (English): A cloth used for wiping, especially one used for...
Definitions
- A cloth used for wiping, especially one used for...
Ancestry of “towel”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | towayle | A cloth for washing; a towel or washcloth; A... |
| 2 | Old French | toaille | towel |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | toallia | towel, washcloth |
| 4 | Frankish | þwahilu | towel, washcloth; cloth |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | þwahaną | to wash, bathe |
Words derived from “towel”