Where does “dowel” come from?

Dowel comes from Middle English dule, though its ultimate origin and earliest meaning remain uncertain.

dowel (English): A pin, or block, of wood or metal, fitting into...

Definitions

  1. A pin, or block, of wood or metal, fitting into...

Ancestry of “dowel”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishdowlefeathery or woolly down; filament of a feather
2Old Frenchdoellethe hollow part of a tool where the handle is;...
3Frankishdulipipe, tube, conduit; hollow tube, pipe; tube,...
4Proto-Germanicduljątube, pipe; nozzle, spout
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰel-an arch, vaulting, curve, curvature, cavity;...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰel-Every word from Proto-Germanic duljąEvery word from Frankish duli