Where does “gravel” come from?
gravel (Middle Scots) comes from Middle English grauayle, from Old French gravele, from Old French ele, from Latin āla, from Latin axla, from Latin axis, from Proto-Italic aksis, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eḱs- — to drive.
gravel (Middle Scots): sand, gravel
Definitions
- sand, gravel
Ancestry of “gravel”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | grauayle | — |
| 2 | Old French | gravele | gravel; calculus |
| 3 | Old French | ele | she; wing |
| 4 | Latin | āla | a wing appendage of an animal's body that enables it to fly |
| 5 | Latin | axla | — |
| 6 | Latin | axis | An axletree of wagon, car, chariot; The North... |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | aksis | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eḱs- | axis, axle |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eǵ- | to drive |