Late Middle English (in an earlier sense). Immediate origin uncertain. Perhaps the reflex of an unattested Old English *plecce, and hence cognate with Middle Dutch plecke, plec place, plot, spot, stain, blemish (Dutch plek), Middle Low German plecke, plechke piece of ground, place (German regional (Low German) Plek, Pleck place, spot, also stain), apparently from a variant (with i-mutation) of the same base as Middle Dutch placke, plac stain, spot (Dutch plak patch, rag, stain, spot, also place), Middle Low German placke, plak stain, small piece, rag, plot, village (German regional (Low German) Plak, Plakke, Placke, Placken; perhaps goes to Middle High German placke patch; German regional (chiefly northern) Placken); further etymology uncertain and disputed: perhaps related to Middle Dutch plagghe rag (Dutch plag), Middle Low German plagge turf, rag (German regional (Low German) Plagge), Old Icelandic plagg luggage, Old Swedish plag piece of clothing (Swedish plagg).