handcloth

H4A1N1D2C3L1O1T1H4
UK/ˈhændˌklɒθ/

noun

A handkerchief.

OriginMiddle English handcloth ← Old English handclāþ →
Scrabble 18
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Meanings

nounhandcloth (plural handcloths)

plural handcloths

  1. A handkerchief.
  2. A washcloth.

Origin

  1. Old Englishhandclāþ“handcloth”
  2. Middle Englishhandcloth
  3. Englishhandcloth

From Middle English handcloth, from Old English handclāþ (“handcloth”), equivalent to hand + cloth. Cognate with Danish håndklæde (“handtowel”), Icelandic handklæði (“handcloth”).

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

handcloth. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/handcloth

MLA

“handcloth.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/handcloth. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “handcloth,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/handcloth.

Source: handcloth on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.