Word Origin & History
strigil"ancient tool for scraping the skin after a bath," 1581, from L. strigilis "horse-comb," from stringere (1) "draw along a surface, graze, wound, strip off, rub," from PIE base *streig- (cf. L. striga "stroke, strike, furrow," stria "furrow, channel;" O.C.S. striga "shear;" O.E. stracian "to stroke;"
Ger. streichen "to stroke, rub"). Etymologists dispute over whether this is connected to L. stringere (2), root of
strain (v.).