- clay (n.)
- Old English clæg "stiff, sticky earth; clay," from West Germanic *klaijaz (cf. Old High German kliwa "bran," German Kleie, Old Frisian klai "clay," Old Saxon klei, Middle Dutch clei, Danish klæg; Old English clæman, Old Norse kleima, Old High German kleiman "to cover with clay"), from PIE root *glei- "to stick together" (cf. Greek gloios "sticky matter;" Latin gluten "glue;" Old Church Slavonic glina "clay," glenu "slime, mucus;" Old Irish glenim "I cleave, adhere"). Clay pigeon is from 1888.