Etymology Map
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Kettle

4 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means a container with a spout and lid for boiling water

Where does the word "kettle" come from? It comes from Latin catillus, passing through Old English and Old Norse before entering English (1200s).

1
Stage 1 of 4
catillus
Latin · classical
"small bowl"
a little bowl, diminutive of catinus; borrowed by Germanic peoples trading with Rome
2
Stage 2 of 4
cetel
Old English · medieval
"cauldron"
Old English pronounced it with 'ch', like German Kessel
3
Stage 3 of 4
ketill
Old Norse · 800s
"cauldron"
Viking settlers' ketill, also common as the name Ketil, gave English its hard k-
4
Stage 4 of 4
kettle
English · 1200s
"vessel for boiling water"
the electric kettle appeared in the 1890s, and the automatic switch-off came with Russell Hobbs in 1955
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Read the full story

Kettle’s story begins in Latin: catillus meant “small bowl.” A little bowl, diminutive of catinus; borrowed by Germanic peoples trading with Rome. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old English as cetel. Old English pronounced it with 'ch', like German Kessel. From there it passed into Old Norse as ketill by 800s. Viking settlers' ketill, also common as the name Ketil, gave English its hard k-. It reached English by 1200s as kettle. The electric kettle appeared in the 1890s, and the automatic switch-off came with Russell Hobbs in 1955. Today, kettle means a container with a spout and lid for boiling water.