Duster
/ˈdʌs.tər/noun
A cloth or tool used for removing dust, or a light loose coat.
Did you know?The word comes from the same ancient root as 'dust' itself, ultimately tied to a Proto-Indo-European base meaning 'smoke' or 'vapor' — as if dust was once imagined as a kind of dry, drifting spirit of the air.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dheu-
“to raise dust, smoke, or vapor”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*dustaz
“dust, dry powder”
Old English
OE
dust
“dust, powder, fine particles”
Middle English
ME
dusten
“to remove dust; to sprinkle with dust”
Modern English
English
duster
“something used for dusting; later, a light coat or cloak for protection against dust”