noyau

The story

1. Late Latin · derived fromnucālis“nut-like”
2. Early Medieval Latin · derived fromnōdellus“buckle”
3. Old French · derived fromnoel
4. Middle French · derived fromnoyau
5. French · borrowed fromnoyau
6. English todaynoyau

Borrowed from French noyau, from Middle French noyau, from Old French noel, from either Early Medieval Latin nōdellus (“buckle”) or Late Latin nucālis (“nut-like”). Doublet of newel and noil.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 18th c. A French liqueur made at Poissy in north central France from brandy and flavoured with almonds and the pits of apricots.
• from 20th c. A small nucleus or core group of people or animals.