Towel
/ˈtaʊəl/noun
A piece of absorbent cloth or paper used for drying or wiping.
Did you know?English *towel* comes from a Germanic word for a cloth used in washing, and its deeper relatives are tied to the same ancient root that gave us words for spinning and weaving—proof that even the most mundane objects carry the memory of old domestic ritual.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*teuh₂-
“to wash, cleanse, or soak”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*þwahilaz
“a cloth for washing”
Old English
OE
þwægel
“a towel or washing cloth”
Middle English
ME
towel / towaille
“a cloth for drying or wiping”
Modern English
English
towel
“an absorbent cloth used for drying or wiping”