Etymology

tunnel

tun·nel
T1U1N1N1E1L1

Today it means: An underground or underwater passage. Full definition →

Middle English tonnel ← Old French tone ← Medieval Latin tunna
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*temh₁-?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*tend-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*tondeh₂
  4. Proto-Celtic*tondā
  5. Medieval Latintunna
  6. Old Frenchtone
  7. Middle Englishtonnel
  8. English todaytunnel

From Middle English tonnel, from Old French tonel(e), diminutive of tone (“cask”), a word of uncertain origin and affiliation. Related to Old English tunne (“tun; cask; barrel”). More at tun.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.