Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Tunnel” come from?

Tunnel (English) comes from Old French tonel, from Old French tone, from Late Latin tunna, from Proto-Celtic tunna — hide, skin.

Ancestry of “Tunnel”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchtonelbarrel
2Old Frenchtonelarge barrel
3Late Latintunnatun, box
4Proto-Celtictunnahide, skin
Every word from Proto-Celtic tunna →