Where does “easel” come from?
Easel comes from Dutch ezel, from Middle Dutch esel, from Old Dutch esil, from Latin asellus, diminutive of asinus meaning donkey, likely so named because the tripod resembles a small beast of burden.
easel (English): An upright frame, typically on three legs, for...
Definitions
- An upright frame, typically on three legs, for...
Ancestry of “easel”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Dutch | ezel | donkey, ass; fool, idiot; easel |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | ēsel | — |
| 3 | Old Dutch | esil | — |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | asil | donkey |
| 5 | Latin | asellus | Small or young ass or donkey |
| 6 | Latin | asinus | a donkey, an ass; an ass, an idiot, a dolt, a... |
| 7 | Latin | acinus | a berry, especially the grape; the seed of a... |
| 8 | Latin | acies | sharp edge or point; battle line; battle,... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eḱ- | sharp |
Words derived from “easel”