Etymograph

English

flannel

Flannel comes from Old French flaine, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wĺ̥h₁neh₂ ‘wool’, and ultimately from *h₂welh₁- ‘hair’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂welh₁-‘hair’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂wĺ̥h₁neh₂‘wool’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*wlānosreconstructed
  4. Old Frenchc. 842–1400flaine
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500flaunneol
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1886flannel

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂welh₁-‘hair’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂wĺ̥h₁neh₂‘wool’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*wlānosreconstructed
  4. Old Frenchc. 842–1400flaine
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500flaunneol
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1886flannel

Earliest quotation: 1886, – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard: “The Witch of Endor was a fool to her,…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- ‘hair’

value, wild, equivalent, valid, valuation, vale, avail, velvet, valiant, vail, wield, fluff, valour, cuckold, woolen, velour, valorous, lanolin, 43 more

through Proto-Indo-European *h₂wĺ̥h₁neh₂ ‘wool’

wool, woll, 13 more

Today it means

noun A soft cloth material originally woven from wool, today often combined with cotton or synthetic fibers.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- / flannel

Shirt and support for this word