sile

Etymology

Comes from Middle English syle, from Old English sȳl, meaning "column, pillar, support", from Proto-West Germanic *sūli, from Proto-Germanic *sūliz, meaning "beam, post, column, pillar", from Proto-Indo-European *ḱsewl-, *ḱswel-, meaning "log", from *ḱsew-, *ḱes-, meaning "to scratch, comb". It is cognate with Dutch zuil ("pillar"), German Säule ("column, pillar"), Norwegian søyle ("pillar"), Icelandic súla ("column"), and Gothic ????? (sauls, "pillar").