Where does “payaso” come from?
payaso (Spanish) comes from Italian pagliaccio, from Italian Paglia, from Latin palea, from Proto-Indo-European pel- — to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold.
payaso (Spanish): clown
Ancestry of “payaso”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Italian | pagliaccio | clown, buffoon |
| 2 | Italian | Paglia | — |
| 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 |