Where does “cleething” come from?
cleething (Scots) comes from Middle English clething, from Middle English clethe, from Old English clǣþ, from Proto-Germanic klaiþą, from Proto-Indo-European gleyt-, from Proto-Indo-European gley-, from Proto-Indo-European gel- — to be cold, to freeze.
Ancestry of “cleething”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | clething | An item or items of clothes; something to be... |
| 2 | Middle English | clethe | Cloth; fabric, especially when used for covering... |
| 3 | Old English | clǣþ | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | klaiþą | cloth |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gleyt- | to cling to, cleave, stick |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gley- | to glue, paste, stick together; to glue, stick... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | gel- | to be cold, to freeze |