Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “underclothes” come from?

Underclothes derives from English under and English clothe combined with English -'s, tracing back through Proto-Indo-European n̥dʰér and ultimately Proto-Indo-European gel-, meaning to cover or embrace.

underclothes (English): clothes worn next to the skin and underneath...

Definitions

  1. clothes worn next to the skin and underneath...

Ancestry of “underclothes”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishclothesItems of clothing; apparel; plural of cloth; The...
2Middle EnglishcloþesAlternative form of clothes
3Middle EnglishcloþAlternative form of cloth; cloth, garment
4Old Englishclāþcloth, clothes, covering, sail
5Proto-Germanicklaiþącloth
6Proto-Indo-Europeangleyt-to cling to, cleave, stick
7Proto-Indo-Europeangley-to glue, paste, stick together; to glue, stick...
8Proto-Indo-Europeangel-to be cold, to freeze
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gel- →