Treenail
/ˈtriː.neɪl/noun
A wooden peg used to fasten timbers together.
Did you know?Treenails were prized in shipbuilding because wood-on-wood fastenings could swell tight with moisture, making them a clever, ancient form of self-locking joinery.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
trēonægel
“A wooden nail or peg, literally a nail made of wood.”
Middle English
ME
trenayle / treenail
“A wooden peg used in carpentry and shipbuilding.”
Early Modern English
English
treenail
“A wooden fastening pin, especially in heavy timber work.”
Modern English
English
treenail
“A wooden peg used to fasten timbers together.”