An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Zwehle

by Friedrich Kluge

Zwehle, f., ‘towel,’ from MidHG. twęhele, twęhel, dwęhele, dwêle, f. (also quęhele, Thuring. Quähle), ‘drying cloth, towel,’ OHG. dwahila, dwęhila, dwahilla. f., ‘towel, napkin, small napkin.’ The implied Goth. *þwahljô (old AS. thwehlœ) is a derivative of þwahl, ‘bath, washing,’ and hence signified ‘that which belongs to bathing.’ The cognates are connected with ModHG. (dial.) zwagen, ‘to wash,’ from the equiv. MidHG. twaken, dwahen, OHG. dwahan; an old common Teut. word for ‘to wash.’ Comp. Goth. þwahan, OSax. thwahan, AS. þweán, OIc. þvá, Dan. toe, tvœtte, Swed. tvo, tvätta, ‘to wash.’ With these are connected Goth. þwahl, ‘bath,’ AS. þweál, ‘washing,’ OHG. dwahal, ‘bath,’ OIc. þvál, ‘soap,’ MidHG. twuhel, ‘bathing tub.’ In the allied Aryan languages only Pruss. twaxtan, ‘bathing apron,’ is cognate; Gr. τέγγω, Lat. tingo, ‘to moisten,’ are not connected with it. From OTeut. is derived the Rom. class, Ital. tovaglia, Fr. touaille, equiv. to E. towel.