towel

The story

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*þwahaną“to wash”
2. Frankish · derived from*þwahilu“cloth”
3. Medieval Latin · derived fromtoallia
4. Old French · derived fromtoaille“towel”
5. Middle English · inherited fromtowayle
6. English todaytowel

From Middle English towayle, towel, towail, towaille, from Old French toaille (“towel”) (modern French touaille), Medieval Latin toallia, from Frankish *þwahilu (“cloth”), from Proto-Germanic *þwahaną (“to wash”). Cognate with Old High German dwahila (“towel”) (modern dialectal German Zwehle), Dutch dwaal (“towel”), dweil (“mop”), Low German Dweel (“towel”), Old English þwǣle (“band; ribbon; fillet”), Old English þwēan (“to wash”).