Where does “prêle” come from?

prêle (French) comes from Vulgar Latin asperella, from Latin asper, from Proto-Indo-European h₂esp- — to cut.

prêle (French): horsetail

Definitions

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Vulgar Latin	asperella	—
2	Latin	asper	rough, uneven, coarse; unrefined, rude; sharp,...
3	Proto-Indo-European	h₂esp-	to cut

prêle — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer