moil

moil · verb, noun¹

1. Vulgar Latin · derived from*molliō, *molliare
2. Old French · derived frommoillier
3. Middle English · inherited frommollen“to soften by wetting”
4. English todaymoil

From Middle English mollen (“to soften by wetting”), borrowed from Old French moillier with the same meaning, from Vulgar Latin *molliō, *molliare, from mollis (“soft”).

moil · noun²

1. Hebrew · borrowed fromמוהל“ritual circumciser”
2. French · borrowed frommeule
3. English todaymoil

Of unclear origin; possibly from French meule or Hebrew מוהל (mohel, “ritual circumciser”), referring to the foreskin-like shape of the unwanted rim.

Words from the same roots