Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “cajole” come from?

Cajole comes from Middle French cageoler, from French cajoler, meaning to coax or persuade with flattery.

cajole (English): To persuade someone to do something which they...

Definitions

  1. To persuade someone to do something which they...

Ancestry of “cajole”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchcajolerto cuddle, to cradle in one's arms; to flatter,...
2Old Frenchgaioler—
3Medieval Latingabiola—
4Late Latincaveola—
5Latincaveahollow, cavity; cage, den, enclosure, stall,...
6Latincavushollow, concave; excavated, channeled;...
7Proto-Italickawos—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱowh₁óshollow
9Proto-Indo-Europeanḱewh₁-to swell; to be strong

Words derived from “cajole”

  • cajoling
  • cajolingly
  • cajolement
  • cajoler
  • cajolest
  • cajoleth
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱewh₁- →