Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “pole” come from?

Pole comes from Middle French pole, from Latin polus meaning axis or pivot point, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kʷel- meaning to turn or revolve.

pole (English): Originally, a stick; now specifically, a long and...

Definitions

  1. Originally, a stick; now specifically, a long and...

Ancestry of “pole”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishpal—
2Old Englishpæl—
3Palipālia line, row; the original text
4Latinpālus—
5Proto-Italicpākslos—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₂ǵ-slos—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₂ǵ-to attach

Words derived from “pole”

  • poles
  • dipole
  • flagpole
  • lodgepole
  • poleward
  • multipole
  • ridgepole
  • beanpole
  • polepiece
  • polewards
  • bipole
  • hexapole
  • octopole
  • clodpole
  • fishpole
  • tentpole
  • epipole
  • polearm
  • counterpole
  • poler
  • antipole
  • poleman
  • hexadecapole
  • tripole
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₂ǵ- →