Where does “paillasse” come from?

paillasse (French) comes from Occitan palhassa, from Italian pagliaccio, from Italian Paglia, from Latin palea, from Proto-Indo-European pel- — to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold.

paillasse (French): paillasse, straw mattress; laboratory desk;...

Definitions

  1. paillasse, straw mattress; laboratory desk;...

Ancestry of “paillasse”, step by step

paillasse traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Occitan palhassa

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Occitanpalhassaclown
2Italianpagliaccioclown, buffoon
3ItalianPagliastraw dry stalks
4Latinpaleachaff; The wattles or gills of a cock; dross
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpel-to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold

via French paille

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchpaillestraw; flaw in a gem or metal
2Old Frenchpaillestraw, chaff

Words derived from “paillasse

Every word from Proto-Indo-European pel-Every word from Latin paleaEvery word from Italian Paglia