Howel
/ˈhaʊəl/noun
An obsolete cooper’s tool used for cutting grooves in the staves of barrels.
Did you know?Howel belongs to the same ancient Germanic word family as “hoe” and “hew,” linking barrel-making to the basic act of cutting into material.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*hawwaną
“To cut, hew, or chop; a reconstructed Germanic ancestor.”
12th Century
Old French
houel
“A hoe or digging-and-cutting tool.”
Middle English
Middle English
howel
“A cutting tool, especially one associated with woodworking or coopering.”
15th–17th Century
English
howel
“A cooper’s tool for cutting grooves in barrel staves.”
Modern English
English
howel
“An obsolete term retained mainly in historical dictionaries and glossaries.”