Etymology

candle

can·dle
C3A1N1D2L1E1

Today it means: A light source consisting of a wick embedded in a solid, flammable substance such as wax, tallow, or paraffin. Full definition →

Middle English candel ← Old English candel ← Latin candēla
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*(s)kend-
  2. Proto-Italic*kandēō
  3. Latincandeō
  4. Latincandēla
  5. Old Englishcandel
  6. Middle Englishcandel
  7. English todaycandle

From Middle English candel, from Old English candel (“candle”), borrowed from Latin candēla (“candle”), from Latin candeō (“be white, bright, shining”, verb); see candid. Doublet of candela and chandelle.

Words from the same roots

Latincandēla all →

chandlercandela

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.