Where does “toaille” come from?

toaille (Middle French) comes from Old French toaille, from Medieval Latin toallia, from Frankish þwahilu, from Proto-Germanic þwahaną — to wash, bathe.

Ancestry of “toaille”, step by step

toaille traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old French toaille

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchtoailletowel
2Medieval Latintoalliatowel, washcloth
3Frankishþwahilutowel, washcloth; cloth
4Proto-Germanicþwahanąto wash, bathe

via Old French tevale

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchtevaletowel
Every word from Proto-Germanic þwahaną →Every word from Frankish þwahilu →Every word from Medieval Latin toallia →