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bole¹

(bōl)

The trunk of a tree.

[Middle English, from Old Norse bolr; see bhel-² in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

bole²

(bōl)

1. Any of various soft fine clays, especially a reddish-brown variety used as a pigment.

2. A moderate reddish brown.

[Middle English, from Medieval Latin bōlus; see BOLUS.]

bole adj.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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