gaol

The story

1. Latin · derived fromcavea“cavity, coop, cage”
2. Late Latin · derived fromcaveola
3. Medieval Latin · derived fromgabiola
4. Old French · derived fromgaiole
5. Middle English · inherited fromgayole
6. English todaygaol

From Middle English gayole, gaiol, gaylle, gaille, gayle, gaile, via Old French gaiole, gayolle, gaole, from Medieval Latin gabiola, for Late Latin caveola, a diminutive of Latin cavea (“cavity, coop, cage”). See also cage.

Words from the same roots