English word origin

Etymology of boule

From French boule. Doublet of bull (etymologies 2 and 4) and bulla, or of bowl and pulla, depending on the etymology of the French word.

3 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 3 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

noun

One of the bowls used in the French game of boules. · A single-crystal ingot produced by synthetic means. · A round loaf of bread. · A round piece of dough.

verb

To shape (a piece of dough) into a ball.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From French boule. Doublet of bull (etymologies 2 and 4) and bulla, or of bowl and pulla, depending on the etymology of the French word.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Root classification mention*bʰel-ine-pro
Borrowed-form mentionboulefr
Doublet mentionbullen
Doublet mentionbullaen
Doublet mentionbowlen
Doublet mentionpullaen

This page abbreviates 1 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*bʰel-",
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      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fr",
        "3": "boule"
      },
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    },
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        "pos1": "etymologies 2 and 4"
      },
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    },
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    ]
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        "A single-crystal ingot produced by synthetic means.",
        "A round loaf of bread.",
        "A round piece of dough."
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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

Alternative form of buhl.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Alteration of Boulle. See buhl.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗

noun

A council of citizens in Ancient Greece

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Ancient Greek βούλομαι (boúlomai) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-ā́ Ancient Greek -ᾱ (-ā) Ancient Greek -η (-ē) Ancient Greek βουλή (boulḗ)bor. English boule Borrowed from Ancient Greek βουλή (boulḗ).

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nAncient Greek βούλομαι (boúlomai)\nProto-Indo-European *-h₂\nProto-Indo-European *-éh₂\nProto-Hellenic *-ā́\nAncient Greek -ᾱ (-ā)\nAncient Greek -η (-ē)\nAncient Greek βουλή (boulḗ)bor.\nEnglish boule\n[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"gloss\" : \"to wish; to will\", \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"βούλομαι\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" }, { \"id\" : \"o-grade\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"o-grade\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"collective nouns\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"collective nouns\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-h₂\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\", \"pos\" : \"suffix originally used to form collective nouns, extended in Late PIE to also be a marker of feminine gender\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-éh₂\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Hellenic\", \"term\" : \"*-ā́\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"grk-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"-ᾱ\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"-η\", \"lang\" : \"grc\", \"pos\" : \"verbal noun suffix\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"βουλή\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"boule\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"boule\">\nBorrowed from Ancient Greek βουλή (boulḗ)."
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Where this record stops

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Contribute located evidence for boule →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-Ym91bGU