Etymology Map
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Bowel

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means the intestine

Where does the word "bowel" come from? It comes from Latin botellus, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
botellus
Latin · ancient
"small sausage"
a diminutive of 'botulus', sausage
2
Stage 2 of 3
boel
Old French · medieval
"intestine"
the intestines
3
Stage 3 of 3
bowel
English · 1300s
"intestine"
'botulism' shares the root
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Read the full story

Bowel’s story begins in Latin: botellus meant “small sausage.” A diminutive of 'botulus', sausage. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as boel. The intestines. It reached English by 1300s as bowel. 'botulism' shares the root. Today, bowel means the intestine.