Caulis
/ˈkɔː.lɪs/noun
A stem or stalk of a plant.
Did you know?Caulis is the Latin source behind scientific terms like cauliflower, which literally means “cabbage flower,” showing how ancient plant-language still shapes modern botany.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kāul-
“Stem, stalk, or trunk”
Latin
Latin
caulis
“A stalk, stem, or cabbage”
Late Latin
Latin
cauliculus
“A little stalk or shoot”
Old French
OF
cole
“Cabbage”
Middle English
English
coliflour
“Cauliflower”
Modern English
English
cauliflower
“The edible flower head of a cabbage variety”
Explore more surprising origins