Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “toilful” come from?

toilful (English) comes from English toil, from Middle English toilen, toylen, from Anglo-Norman toiller — to agitate, stir up, entangle; to dirty; to mark;...

toilful (English): Producing or involving much toil; laborious

Definitions

  1. Producing or involving much toil; laborious

Ancestry of “toilful”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtoilLabour, work, especially of a grueling nature;...
2Middle Englishtoilen, toylen—
3Anglo-Normantoillerto agitate, stir up, entangle; to dirty; to mark;...

Words derived from “toilful”

  • toilfully
Every word from Anglo-Norman toiller →