towel

Where does the word "towel" come from? It comes from Frankish thwahlja, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

Towel’s story begins in Frankish: thwahlja meant “cloth for washing.” A Germanic word related to Old English 'þwean', to wash. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as toaille. A linen cloth for drying hands at table. It reached English by 1200s as towel. 'throw in the towel' is boxing slang from the early 1900s. Today, towel means a piece of absorbent cloth for drying oneself.

1. Stage 1 · Frankish · ancient thwahlja "cloth for washing", a Germanic word related to Old English 'þwean', to wash.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval toaille "cloth, napkin", a linen cloth for drying hands at table.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s towel "cloth for drying", 'throw in the towel' is boxing slang from the early 1900s.