Etymograph

English

clay

Clay comes from Proto-Indo-European *gleyH- ‘to smear, putty’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gleyH-‘to smear, putty’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gloyHósreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*klajjazreconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*klaijreconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150clǣġ
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500cley
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1611clay

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gleyH-‘to smear, putty’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gloyHósreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*klajjazreconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*klaijreconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150clǣġ
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500cley
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1611clay

Earliest quotation: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together…”

The story

Related also to clag, clog.

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *gleyH- ‘to smear, putty’

glue, gluten, glutinous, glutamic, 18 more

Today it means

noun A mineral substance made up of small crystals of silica and alumina, that is ductile when moist; the material of pre-fired ceramics.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gleyH- / clay

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