Where does “isle” come from?
Isle comes from Middle French isle, from Latin īsla, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ-, meaning to be narrow or confined.
isle (English): A island, compare with islet; Obsolete form of...
Definitions
- A island, compare with islet; Obsolete form of...
Ancestry of “isle”, step by step
isle traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English aisle
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | aisle | A wing of a building, notably in a church... |
| 2 | Middle English | ele | eel |
| 3 | Old English | ele | oil |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | *oli | — |
| 5 | Latin | oleum | olive oil; the palaestra |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ἔλαιον | olive oil, commonly used as an anointing oil; any... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | ἐλαία | olive tree; olive; naevus |
| 8 | Proto-Hellenic | elaíwā | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | loiwom | — |