axle

English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈæksəl/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -æksəl
  • Homophones: axel, axil

Etymology 1

From Middle English axel, axle, eaxle, from Old English eaxl (shoulder, armpit), from Proto-West Germanic *ahslu (shoulder), from Proto-Germanic *ahslō (shoulder), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱs-l-eh₂, from *h₂eḱs- (axis, axle). Cognate with Saterland Frisian acsle (shoulder), Dutch oksel (armpit), German Achsel (armpit), Swedish axel (shoulder), Latin axilla (armpit), Latin axis (axle) (whence English axis, atelier, and via Latin āla English ala, aisle), Ancient Greek ἄξων (áxōn) (whence English axo-, axon), Greek άξονας (áxonas, axle), Sanskrit अक्ष (ákṣa, axle), Sanskrit कक्ष (kakṣá, room, armpit), Russian ось (osʹ, axle).

Noun

axle (plural axles)

  1. (obsolete) Shoulder.

Etymology 2

From Middle English axil, in turn a combination of Old English eax and Old Norse ǫxull.

Noun

axle (plural axles)

  1. The pin or spindle on which a wheel revolves, or which revolves with a wheel.
    The mechanic replaced the broken axle on the truck.
    rear axle
    front axle
    axle grease
  2. A transverse bar or shaft connecting the opposite wheels of a car or carriage; an axletree.
  3. (geometry, astronomy, archaic) An axis.
    the Sun’s axle
Derived terms
Translations
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

See also

Anagrams

Middle English

Etymology 1

Noun

axle

  1. alternative form of axel

Etymology 2

Noun

axle

  1. alternative form of axil