[go: up one dir, main page]
Advertisement

Origin and history of quill

quill(n.)

c. 1400, quil, "piece of reed, stalk of cane, hollow stem of a feather" (used as a tube to drain liquid), probably somehow related to Middle High German kil "quill," from Low German quiele, which is of unknown origin. Meaning "writing pen made from one of the larger feathers of a goose, swan, or other bird" is from 1550s; that of "porcupine spine" is from c. 1600. Quill-pen is attested by 1828, after steel pens or nibs came into use.

also from c. 1400

Advertisement

More to explore

shaft
"long, slender rod," originally "staff or pole forming the body of a spear or lance; spear-shaft," also, perhaps by synecdoche, "spear;" Middle English shafte, from Old English sceaft from Proto-Germanic *skaftaz (source also of Old Norse skapt, Old Saxon skaft, Old High German s
pinion
"wing joint, segment of a bird's wing" (technically the joint of a bird's wing furthest from the body), early 15c., from Old French pignon, penon "wing-feather, wing, pinion" (c. 1400), from Vulgar Latin *pinnionem (nominative *pinnio), augmentative of Latin pinna "wing" (from PI
kern
Dictionary this is identical with kern "a grain" (see kernel), but OED says it is from French carne "projecting angle, quill...
pounce
"claw of a bird of prey," late 15c., pownse, probably from Old French ponchon "lance, javelin; spine, quill" (Modern French...
pen-driver
Earlier was quill-driver (by 1760)....
pen
late 13c., penne, "writing implement made from the hard, hollow stem at the base of a feather," from Old French pene "quill...
pin
The transition from 'feather' to 'pin' (a slender or pointed instrument) appears to have been through 'pen,' a quill, to...
wing
late 12c., wenge, "forelimb fitted for flight of a bird or bat," also the part of some insects resembling a wing in form or function, from Old Norse vængr "wing of a bird, aisle, etc." (cognate with Danish and Swedish vinge "wing"), of unknown origin, perhaps from a Proto-Germani
porcupine
rodent noted for its stout, clumsy body and the defensive spines or quills that cover the body and tail, c. 1400, porke despyne, from Old French porc-espin (early 13c., Modern French porc-épic), literally "spine hog," from Latin porcus "hog" (from PIE root *porko- "young pig") +
snipe
a name of various small, long-billed marsh birds, early 14c., from Old Norse -snipa in myrisnipa "moor snipe;" perhaps a common Germanic term (compare Old Saxon sneppa, Middle Dutch snippe, Dutch snip, Old High German snepfa, German Schnepfe "snipe," Swedish snäppa "sandpiper"),

Share quill

Advertisement
Trending
Dictionary entries near quill
Advertisement