Etymology Map
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Windlass

3 stages from Old Norse to English.

Today it means a winch for hauling or hoisting, especially on a ship

Where does the word "windlass" come from? It comes from Old Norse vindáss, passing through Anglo-Norman before entering English (1400s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
vindáss
Old Norse · medieval
"winding beam"
'winding pole', from 'vinda', to wind, and 'áss', pole
2
Stage 2 of 3
windas
Anglo-Norman · 1200s
"winch"
borrowed into the French of medieval England
3
Stage 3 of 3
windlass
English · 1400s
"winch"
reshaped by the English verb 'windle', to wind
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Windlass’s story begins in Old Norse: vindáss meant “winding beam.” 'winding pole', from 'vinda', to wind, and 'áss', pole. By 1200s, the word had taken hold in Anglo-Norman as windas. Borrowed into the French of medieval England. It reached English by 1400s as windlass. Reshaped by the English verb 'windle', to wind. Today, windlass means a winch for hauling or hoisting, especially on a ship.