Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “tool” come from?

tool (Middle English) comes from Old English tōl, from Proto-Germanic tōlą, from Proto-Indo-European dewh₂- — to fit.

tool (Middle English): A tool, implement, or instrument; A instrument of...

Definitions

  1. A tool, implement, or instrument; A instrument of...

Ancestry of “tool”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishtōltool, implement, instrument
2Proto-Germanictōlątool
3Proto-Indo-Europeandewh₂-to fit

Words derived from “tool”

  • tools
  • tool
  • toll
  • toolbar
  • toolbox
  • toolkit
  • tooled
  • tooltip
  • toolset
  • retooling
  • retool
  • tollgate
  • toolshed
  • toolpath
  • toolmaker
  • toolmaking
  • toolchain
  • tollhouse
  • tollman
  • toolhouse
  • toolroom
  • toller
  • tollway
  • multitool
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dewh₂- →