Meaning
Originally, a stick; now specifically, a long and slender piece of metal or (especially) wood, used for various construction or support purposes.
Etymology
Origin: Old English
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *peh₂ǵ-der. Proto-Indo-European *peh₂ǵ-slos Proto-Italic *pākslos Latin pālusbor. Proto-West Germanic *pālu Proto-West Germanic *pāl Old English pāl Middle English pole English poleFrom Middle English pole, pal, from Old English pāl (“a pole, stake, post; a kind of hoe or spade”), from Proto-West Germanic *pāl (“pole”), from Latin pālus (“stake, pale, prop, stay”), perhaps from Old Latin *paxlos, from Proto-Italic *pākslos, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂ǵ- (“to nail, fasten”). Doublet of peel, pale, and palus. Cognates Cognate with Scots pale, paill (“stake, pale”), North Frisian pul, pil (“stake, pale”), Saterland Frisian Pool (“pole”), West Frisian poal (“pole”), Dutch paal (“pole”), German Pfahl (“pile, stake, post, pole”), Danish pæl (“pole”), Swedish påle (“pole”), Icelandic páll (“hoe, spade, pale”), Old English fæc (“space of time, while, division, interval; lustrum”).
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 16 recorded puzzles:
- 2026-09-24PABELOW
- 2026-04-25OENIHLP
- 2026-01-14OPALCBE
- 2025-09-19EGPIOLH
- 2025-07-11OAPFELW
- 2025-06-02OCMEILP
- 2025-05-16PWBOIEL
- 2024-10-27EPAOGLF
- 2024-04-06PELHGIO
- 2024-01-02OWBPIEL
- 2023-10-17LYETPNO
- 2023-08-12ECOLIMP
+4 earlier appearances in the archive.