Definition
An archaic or dialectal term for a dishcloth; a cloth used for washing or drying dishes.
Etymology
From dish + clout (Old English clūt, meaning a piece of cloth or patch). This variant spelling was common in dialectal English, especially in Northern regions, before 'dishcloth' became standardized.
Kelly Says
Dishclout survives primarily in British dialects and old literature—it's a perfect example of how words branch into variants that persist in different regions, showing how English didn't have a single 'correct' form centuries ago.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
እንሰሳ ሰርቫንት
en-se-sa ser-van-t
ARالعربية
منشفة صحون
mun-shaf-at sa-hoon
BNবাংলা
প্লাটের কাপড়
pla-ter-er ka-por
CACatalà
tovallola de plats
to-va-lo-la de pla-ts
CSČeština
utěrka na nádobí
u-te-rka na na-do-bi
DADansk
opvaskeserviet
op-va-ske-ser-vee-et
DEDeutsch
Spültuch
shpool-took
ELΕλληνικά
καθαριστής πιάτων
ka-tha-ri-stees pya-ton
ESEspañol
trapo de platos
tra-po de pla-tos
FAفارسی
پرده شویی
par-de sho-ee
FISuomi
lautasellepyyhe
lau-ta-selle-pyy-he
FRFrançais
chiffon de vaisselle
shi-fon de va-se-l
GUGU
પ્લેટ માટેનો કપડો
pla-te ma-te-no ka-p-do
HAHA
kwanin abinci
kwan-in a-bin-ci
HEעברית
מרטיטת כלים
mar-ti-tat kli-im
HIहिन्दी
प्लेट के कपड़े
plet ke ka-de
HUMagyar
tányérkendő
tan-yer-ken-do
IDBahasa Indonesia
lap untuk piring
lap untuk pi-ring
IGIG
akwụkwọ ụkụ
ak-wu-kwo uk-u
ITItaliano
panno per piatti
pan-no per pya-ti
JA日本語
食器用布
shoki-you-nuno
KKKK
табақты ұрпақ
ta-ba-q-ty ur-pa-q
KMKM
ស្អាត ត្រង់
s'a-at tr-ong
MRMR
पॅनसाठी कपडा
pa-n-sa-thi ka-p-da
MSBahasa Melayu
lap untuk pinggan
lap untuk pi-ngan
MYမြန်မာ
ရန်ကုန် ချောင်း
yan-ku-on chowng
NLNederlands
theedoek
thee-doek
NONorsk
oppvaskklut
opp-va-sk-klu-t
PAPA
ਪਟੇ lanations
pat-te la-ya-tions
PLPolski
ściereczka do naczyń
shchy-er-chech-ka do na-ch-yin
PTPortuguês
pano de prato
pa-no de pra-to
RORomână
ștergar de vase
sh-ter-gar de va-se
RUРусский
салфетка для посуды
sal-fet-ka dl-ya pos-u-dy
SVSvenska
disktrasa
disk-tra-sa
SWKiswahili
kifua cha sahani
ki-fua cha sa-ha-ni
TAதமிழ்
பாத்திரம் துடைப்ப
pa-a-thira-m tu-dai-ppa
THไทย
ผ้าเช็ดจาน
pha chet chan
TLTL
kutsara ng plato
kut-sa-ra ng pla-to
TRTürkçe
bulaşık bez
bu-la-shik be-z
UKУкраїнська
шліх для посуду
shlykh dlya posu-dy
URاردو
پلیٹ کا کپڑا
pa-li-t ka ka-pra
VITiếng Việt
khăn lau chén
khan lau chen
YOYO
ọpọ̀ ẹ̀bọ́
o-po ọ e-bo
ZUZU
isigqaba se-thuthu
i-si-gqa-ba se-thuthu
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Archaic variant of dishcloth; same gendered domestic labor etymology and cultural association with unpaid women's household work.
Inclusive Usage
If used in historical or dialectal context, acknowledge its gendered labor heritage.
Inclusive Alternatives
["cloth","rag"]
Empowerment Note
Historical texts using 'dishclout' reflect era-specific gendering of household work; women's labor movements reframed this work as deserving recognition and equal sharing.