Pinnacle
/ˈpɪn.ə.kəl/noun
The highest point or peak of something.
Did you know?Pinnacle comes through Old French from Latin pinna, meaning both “feather” and “point,” a reminder that language often turns something light and sharp into a symbol of elevation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pet-
“to fly, to fall, to rush down”
Latin
Latin
pinna
“feather; wing; point, peak”
Late Latin
Latin
pinnaculum
“small pointed turret or gable”
Old French
Old French
pinnacle
“small turret; top, peak”
Middle English
English
pynacle
“a turret or small spire”
Modern English
English
pinnacle
“the highest point or summit”