Where does “Putzfetzen” come from?

Putzfetzen (German) comes from German putzen, from Middle High German butze, from Proto-Germanic buttaz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰudʰnós, from Proto-Indo-European bʰudʰmḗn, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- — smoke; mist, haze.

Putzfetzen (German): cleaning cloth, dustcloth

Definitions

  1. cleaning cloth, dustcloth

Ancestry of “Putzfetzen”, step by step

Putzfetzen traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German putzen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanputzento clean, especially by rubbing with something...
2Middle High Germanbutzelump, piece, stump
3Proto-Germanicbuttazcut off; chopped; stumpy; end; piece
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰudʰnósbottom
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰudʰmḗnbottom
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewbʰ-deep
7Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze

via German fetzen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanfetzento speed, to rush; to fight, to wrangle, to...
2Middle High Germanvetzerag, tatters
3Middle High Germanvazzen
4Old High Germanvazvessel
5Proto-Germanicfatąvessel, container
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpod-vessel, container
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂-