Wipe
/waɪp/noun
To clean or remove by rubbing, or to erase or eliminate something.
Did you know?Wipe is an ancient Germanic word, and its deep relatives include words for twisting and turning, showing how old languages linked motion, touch, and force.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*weip-
“to turn, twist, or move quickly”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*wīpaną
“to move or swing about”
Old English
English
wīpan
“to wipe, sweep, or stroke”
Middle English
English
wipe
“to clean by rubbing; to sweep away”
Modern English
English
wipe
“to clean, erase, or remove by rubbing”