Where does “tail” come from?

tail (Middle English) comes from Middle English tayl, from Old English tæġl, from Proto-Germanic taglą, from Proto-Indo-European doḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European deḱ- — take; perceive.

tail (Middle English): Alternative form of tayl

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of tayl

Ancestry of “tail”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishtaylA tail; The back side or reverse of a creature; A...
2Old Englishtæġltail
3Proto-Germanictagląhair; ponytail; hair of a tail; tail
4Proto-Indo-Europeandoḱ-hair of the tail
5Proto-Indo-Europeandeḱ-take; perceive

Words derived from “tail”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European deḱ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European doḱ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic taglą →