Where does “awl” come from?

Awl comes from Middle English alle, Old English ǣl and eall, Proto-Germanic ēlō, and Proto-Indo-European ēl-, al-, and h₂el-, with ultimate origins obscure.

awl (English): A pointed instrument for piercing small holes, as...

Definitions

  1. A pointed instrument for piercing small holes, as...

Ancestry of “awl”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishaul—
2Old Englishælawl, hook, fork; Alternative form of æl; eel
3Proto-West Germanicāleel
4Proto-Germanicēlazeel

Words derived from “awl”

Every word from Proto-Germanic ēlaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic āl →Every word from Old English æl →