dowel

From Middle English dowle, dule, of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Old French doelle (“the hollow part of a tool where the handle is”), from Frankish duli (“hollow tube, pipe”), from Proto-Germanic dulją (“pipe”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰel- (“curvature, hollow”). If so, then cognate with French douelle, douille. Alternatively from Middle Low German dövel (“peg, plug”), from Old Saxon dubil, from Proto-Germanic dubilaz. If so, then cognate with Dutch deuvel (“wooden peg”), German Dübel (“dowel”).