needle

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A thin, pointed metal tool used for sewing, with a hole at one end for thread.

   She threaded the needle to sew on a button.

2. 2
   noun

   A thin, hollow pointed tube used to give injections or take blood.

   The nurse used a clean needle for the injection.

3. 3
   noun

   A thin pointer on a dial or instrument that shows a measurement.

   The compass needle pointed north.

4. 4
   noun

   A thin, sharp leaf found on pine trees and other conifers.

   Pine needles covered the forest floor.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Needle comes from Old English nǣdl, a Germanic word related to Dutch naald and German Nadel. It derives from an Indo-European root also represented by Latin nere, “to spin,” and Greek nēma, “thread.”

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-trom Proto-Indo-European *-tlom Proto-Indo-European *(s)néh₁tlom Proto-Germanic *nēþlą Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Germanic *-ō Proto-Germanic *nēþlō Proto-West Germanic *nāþlu Old English nǣdl Middle English nedle English needle From Middle English nedle, from Old English nǣdl, from Proto-West Germanic *nāþlu, from Proto-Germanic *nēþlō, from pre-Germanic *neh₁-tleh₂, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₁- (“to spin, twist”). Cognates Cognate with Saterland Frisian Näddele (“s…

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