Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “drill” come from?

Drill comes from Middle Dutch drillen, from Old Dutch thrillen, from Proto-Germanic þriljaną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ter-.

drill (English): To create by removing material with a drill; To...

Definitions

  1. To create by removing material with a drill; To...

Ancestry of “drill”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Dutchdrillenbore, move in a circle
2Old Dutchthrillen—
3Proto-Germanicþriljaną—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanter-tender, weak; young creature
5Italiantermineend, close; limit, term, date, time; term, word
6Latinterminusa boundary, limit, end
7Proto-Italictermenos—
8Proto-Indo-Europeantérmn̥boundary, end

Words derived from “drill”

  • drilling
  • driller
  • drilldown
  • mandrill
  • drillmaster
  • predrill
  • microdrill
  • drillable
  • redrill
  • nondrilling
  • drillability
  • drillstock
  • drillship
  • antidrilling
  • postdrilling
  • drillproof
  • turbodrill
  • khaki drill
  • dril
  • mandril
  • mandrilar
  • drill
  • driller
  • drille
Every word from Proto-Indo-European térmn̥ →