gravel

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*gʰroh₁weh₂
2. Proto-Celtic · derived from*grāwā“gravel, pebbles”
3. Medieval Latin · derived fromgrava
4. Old French · derived fromgravele
5. Middle English · inherited fromgravel
6. English todaygravel

From Middle English gravel, grauel, from Old French gravele, diminutive of grave (“gravel, seashore”), from Medieval Latin grava, ultimately from Proto-Celtic *grāwā (“gravel, pebbles”) (compare Breton groa, Cornish grow, Welsh gro), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰroh₁weh₂, from *gʰreh₁w- (“to grind”). Compare also Old English græfa (“coal”).