Etymology

clevis

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Today it means: A U-shaped coupling having holes at each end, through which a bolt is run; used especially to fit attachments to a tractor or other vehicle as it allows a degree of rotation about the bolt. Full definition →

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The story

First attested in the 1590s. Ultimately related to cleave. Exact origin unknown; probably derived from the verb cleave. If so, the word ultimately may stem from Scandinavian: compare Old Norse kljúfa (“to split”), Old Norse klofi (“a forked stick”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.