Eyelash
/ˈaɪˌlæʃ/noun
One of the short hairs growing on the edge of the eyelid.
Did you know?Unlike words such as “spell” or “glamour,” eyelash has no occult origin — but it does preserve a very old Germanic word for the eye, showing how ordinary anatomy words can survive for centuries.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₃ekʷ-
“to see, eye”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*augō
“eye”
Old English
OE
ēagþyrl / ēagwīl
“eye-related forms used for the eyelid/eye area in early English usage”
Middle English
English
eie-lash / eye-lash
“the hairs bordering the eye”
Modern English
English
eyelash
“the hairs growing on the edge of the eyelid”