Etymology Explorer › Norwegian Nynorsk

Where does “tunnel” come from?

tunnel (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from English Tunnel, from Old French tonel, from Old French tone, from Late Latin tunna, from Proto-Celtic tunna — hide, skin.

tunnel (Norwegian Nynorsk): a tunnel; nutmeg

Definitions

  1. a tunnel; nutmeg

Ancestry of “tunnel”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishTunnel—
2Old Frenchtonelbarrel
3Old Frenchtonelarge barrel
4Late Latintunnatun, box
5Proto-Celtictunnahide, skin

Words derived from “tunnel”

  • gangtunnel
  • tunnelsyn
  • tunnelbane
Every word from Proto-Celtic tunna →