Bowel
/ˈbaʊ.əl/noun
An internal organ of the digestive system, especially the intestines.
Did you know?English bowel ultimately traces back to a Proto-Germanic word for a pouch or bag, which is why the term originally had a broader “belly sack” feel before narrowing to intestines.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bhel-
“to swell, blow up, or inflate”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*būlaz / *baugilaz
“a bag, pouch, or rounded sac”
Old English
English
būle / būgels
“a bag, belly, or intestine-like swelling”
Middle English
English
bouel / bowel
“the intestines or internal guts”
Modern English
English
bowel
“the intestines, especially the lower part of the digestive tract”