Caul
/kɔːl/noun
A membrane or membrane-like covering, especially the amniotic sac around a fetus or a close-fitting cap or net covering the hair.
Did you know?In European folklore, being born with a caul was widely treated as an omen of extraordinary fortune or supernatural protection, which is why the word still feels strangely magical today.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kele-
“to cover, conceal”
Late Latin
Latin
cōla / cāla
“a covering, hood, or veil”
Old French
Old French
cale
“a cap, hood, or head covering”
Middle English
English
caul
“a net or cap for the head; also a membrane-like covering”
Modern English
English
caul
“a membrane or close-fitting covering, especially around a fetus”