Trowel
/ˈtraʊ.əl/noun
A small hand tool with a flat or curved blade, used for spreading, smoothing, or digging.
Did you know?Trowel comes through Middle English from Old French *truel*/*truelle*, ultimately from Latin *trulla* meaning a ladle or scoop, showing how tool-words often shift shape as they travel across empires.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dreu-
“To run, flow, or be strong; a distant proposed root behind various tool and vessel words, though the exact path to *trulla* is not certain.”
Latin
Latin
trulla
“A ladle, scoop, or small spoon-like vessel.”
Old French
Old French
truelle
“A small spoon or scoop; later also a mason’s tool.”
Middle English
English
trowel
“A small tool for spreading mortar or plaster.”
Modern English
English
trowel
“A small hand tool used for spreading, smoothing, or digging.”