English
spindle
Spindle comes from Proto-West Germanic *spinnan ‘to spin’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *(s)pénh₁-ne-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)pénh₁-ne-reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*spinnaną‘to spin’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*spinnan‘to spin’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanic, derivedc. 200–500 CE*spinnilureconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150spinl
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150spindle
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500spyndel
- Englishearliest quotation 1847spindle
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)pénh₁-ne-reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*spinnaną‘to spin’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*spinnan‘to spin’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanic, derivedc. 200–500 CE*spinnilureconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150spinl
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150spindle
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500spyndel
- Englishearliest quotation 1847spindle
Earliest quotation: 1847, editorial staff, Improvement in Water Taps, Cister Valves, &c.: “; the top one is acted on by the…”
Formed from spin + -le
Proto-Indo-European *(s)penh₁- ‘to twist’
Proto-Germanic *spinnaną ‘to spin’
Old English spinnan ‘to spin’
Middle English spinnen ‘to spin or convert fibre into yarn’
English spin
The story
The dragonfly sense (noun sense 14) is a calque of Swedish slända (dragonfly/spindle); this word was introduced by New Sweden settlers.
Linked words
through Proto-Germanic *spinnaną ‘to spin’
through Proto-West Germanic *spinnan ‘to spin’
through Proto-West Germanic *spinnilu
Today it means
noun A rod used for spinning and then winding fibres (especially wool), usually consisting of a shaft and a circular whorl positioned at either the upper or lower end of the shaft when suspended vertically from the forming thread.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)pénh₁-ne- / spindle