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tersorium

.
Searchable Lemmata: tersorium (L), tersour (AF).
Alternate Forms: tersorio.

    Definitions and Defining Citations:

1(n.) Accessory; a drying cloth or towel (for the feet, face, or another part of the body). The Revised Medieval Latin Word-List notes instances for 1090 and 1396, and also the sense 'place for washing feet' in 1090.(circa 1090 - circa 1500 ?)
1. tersorio: tersour, escoveloun Gloss. Glossarial text; sense possibly belongs to sense 2 below. [AND Dictionarius (33)]
2. Orixorium, saliuarium, tersorium: a slaueryng clowte. Gloss. [MED Add.37075 Gloss ((Add 37075) 57/291b) ante 1500]
c.f.: escoveillon
L.
Sex: Male, Female    Ceremonial: No
Body Parts:
2(n.) Accessory; a mop or similar item used to wipe the floor, clean out an oven, etc.(circa 1445)
1. Tersorium: a swe-pelles (a malkyn) Gloss. [MED Trin-C.LEDict. ((Trin-C O.5.4) 616/12) circa 1450]
2. [319] ... Madyr herbe: Sandix, rubia major ... [323] ... Malkyne, mappyl, or oven swepare [Phil: ouen swepe]: Dossorium, tersorium. Lexicon. [MED PParv. ((Hrl 221) 319-323) 1440]
c.f.: malkin, swipple
L.
Ceremonial: No
Body Parts:

    Etymological Evidence:

Definite, post-Classical Latin, a nominal derivative of the verb tergere (tersi, tersum) 'to wipe clean, to rub' etc. with suffix used to form abstract nouns from verbs. The French form is a continuation of the Latin, or parallel formation built in the same fashion.
WF: Borrowed into the British Isles
Etym Cog: tersour (AF).
References:
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