Etymograph

English

clout

Clout comes from Middle English clout ‘piece of cloth’, from Proto-Germanic *klūtaz ‘lump, clod’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gel- ‘to ball up, amass’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gel-‘to ball up, amass’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gelewdosreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*klūtaz‘lump, clod’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*klūtreconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150clūt‘piece of cloth, patch’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500clout‘piece of cloth’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1549same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gel-‘to ball up, amass’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gelewdosreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*klūtaz‘lump, clod’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*klūtreconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150clūt‘piece of cloth, patch’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500clout‘piece of cloth’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1549same form

Earliest quotation: 1549, Hugh Latimer, Sermons by Hugh Latimer: “Paul, yea, and Peter, too, had more skill in…”

The story

The influence sense originated in the dialect of Chicago, but has become widespread.

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *gel- ‘to ball up, amass’

children, child, cold, clean, chill, globe, gel, jelly, cluster, colt, gelatin, gelato, glebe, ganglion, clot, clough, globus, globulin, klutz, clod, 48 more

through Proto-West Germanic *klūt

cloud

Today it means

noun Influence or effectiveness, especially political.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gel- / clout

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