Where does “palhaço” come from?
palhaço (Portuguese) comes from Italian pagliaccio, from Italian Paglia, from Latin palea, from Proto-Indo-European pel- — to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold.
palhaço (Portuguese): clown; any funny or amusing person; a silly or...
Definitions
- clown; any funny or amusing person; a silly or...
Ancestry of “palhaço”, step by step
palhaço traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Italian pagliaccio
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italian | pagliaccio | clown, buffoon |
| 2 | Italian | Paglia | straw dry stalks |
| 3 | Latin | palea | chaff; The wattles or gills of a cock; dross |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | pel- | to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold |
via Portuguese palha
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portuguese | palha | straw; straw considered collectively; textile... |