Where does “sandpile” come from?

sandpile (English) comes from English pile, from French pile, from Old French pile, from Latin pila, from Latin pīlus, from Latin pīlum, from Proto-Italic pistlom, from Proto-Indo-European pis-tlo- — to grind, to crush.

sandpile (English): A pile of sand; Any of several models in which a...

Definitions

  1. A pile of sand; Any of several models in which a...

Ancestry of “sandpile”, step by step

sandpile traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English pile

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpileA mass of things heaped together; a heap; A group...
2Frenchpileheap, stack; pillar; battery
3Old Frenchpile
4Latinpilamortar; pillar; pier
5Latinpīlusa hair
6Latinpīluma pounder, pestle
7Proto-Italicpistlom
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpis-tlo-
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpeys-to grind, to crush

via English sand

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsandRock that is ground more finely than gravel, but...
2Middle EnglishsondAlternative form of sand
3Old Englishsandaction of sending, embassy, mission, deputation;...
4Norwegian Nynorsksamdin agreement
5Proto-Germanicsamdazsand
6Proto-Indo-Europeansámh₂dʰossand
7Proto-Indo-Europeansem-together, one
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peys-Every word from Proto-Indo-European pis-tlo-Every word from Proto-Italic pistlom