Pulley
/ˈpʊli/noun
A wheel with a grooved rim that a rope, belt, or chain runs over to change the direction of a force.
Did you know?Pulley comes from a word family tied to “little ball” or “rounded knob,” because the earliest idea behind it was a small rounded wheel that could carry weight and redirect force.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pel-
“To thrust, strike, or beat; an old root behind several words for roundness and pushing force.”
Latin
Latin
pila
“A ball, pillar, or round object.”
Late Latin
Latin
pullea / pulleus
“A small ball or rounded object; the source of the later mechanical term.”
Middle English
English
puli
“A small wheel or block with a groove for a rope.”
Modern English
English
pulley
“A grooved wheel over which a rope or cable runs to lift or move something.”