Where does “washrag” come from?

washrag (English) comes from English wash, from Middle English washen, from Old English wasċan, from Proto-West Germanic waskan, from Proto-Germanic waskaną, from Proto-Germanic watskaną, from Proto-Indo-European wed-, from Proto-Indo-European wey- — to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...

washrag (English): A square piece of cloth for washing the face and...

Definitions

  1. A square piece of cloth for washing the face and...

Ancestry of “washrag”, step by step

washrag traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English wash

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwashTo clean with water; To move or erode by the...
2Middle Englishwashen
3Old Englishwasċanto wash
4Proto-West Germanicwaskanto wash
5Proto-Germanicwaskanąto wash
6Proto-Germanicwatskanąto wash, get wet
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwed-water
8Proto-Indo-Europeanwey-to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...

via English rag

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishragTattered clothes; A piece of old cloth; a...
2Middle Englishraggerag, cloth scrap; cloth strip, band of fabric;...
3Old Englishragg
4Old Norserǫggshagginess; tuft; tuft, shagginess; tuft;...
5Proto-Germanicrūhazrough
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃rewk-to dig; to till
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃er-to move, to stir; to rise, to spring; to quarrel,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wey-
washrag — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer