Pile
/paɪl/noun
A heap or stack of things placed one on top of another.
Did you know?English pile comes through Old French from Latin pila, which meant a pillar, pier, or ball, showing how one root could shape both architecture and objects you can throw.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pil-
“to thrust, strike, or drive”
Latin
Latin
pila
“a pillar, pier, or round ball”
Old French
Old French
pile
“a heap; a stack; a pile”
Middle English
English
pile
“a heap or stack of things”
Modern English
English
pile
“a heap or stack of things placed on top of one another”