Where does “pitwheel” come from?
pitwheel (English) comes from English wheel, from Middle English whel, from Old English hwēol, from Proto-Germanic hweulō, from Proto-Indo-European kʷékʷléh₂, from Proto-Indo-European kʷékʷlos, from Proto-Indo-European kʷel- — to turn.
pitwheel (English): A wheel forming part of the machinery in a watermill, mounted on the opposite end of the axle to the waterwheel, and driving the wallower on the upright shaft or layshaft
Definitions
- A wheel forming part of the machinery in a watermill, mounted on the opposite end of the axle to the waterwheel, and driving the wallower on the upright shaft or layshaft
Ancestry of “pitwheel”, step by step
pitwheel traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English wheel
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | wheel | A circular device capable of rotating on its... |
| 2 | Middle English | whel | A wheel circular device for motion |
| 3 | Old English | hwēol | wheel |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hweulō | nominative/vocative/accusative plural of *hwehwlą |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷékʷléh₂ | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷékʷlos | wheel; circle |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷel- | to turn |