Borehole
/ˈbɔːr.hoʊl/noun
A deep, narrow hole drilled into the ground.
Did you know?The first element, bore, comes from a Germanic root meaning “to pierce” or “drill,” while hole is from Old English hol, so the word is essentially a plain, technical compound for a drilled opening.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bhrē-
“to pierce, bore, or cut through”
Old English
OE
borian
“to bore, drill, or make a hole”
Old English
OE
hol
“a hollow place, cavity, or hole”
Middle English
ME
boren hole
“a bored opening or drilled hole”
19th Century
English
borehole
“a hole drilled into the ground, especially for water, mining, or scientific sampling”
Modern English
English
borehole
“a narrow hole drilled into the earth”