*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of boil

From Middle English bile, büle (“boil, tumor”), from Old English bȳl, bȳle (“boil, swelling”), from Proto-Germanic *būlijō, *būlō (“boil”). Akin to Dutch buil (“boil, swelling”), German Beule (“boil, hump”), Icelandic be

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

A localized accumulation of pus in the skin, resulting from infection.

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

From Middle English bile, büle (“boil, tumor”), from Old English bȳl, bȳle (“boil, swelling”), from Proto-Germanic *būlijō, *būlō (“boil”). Akin to Dutch buil (“boil, swelling”), German Beule (“boil, hump”), Icelandic beyla (“swelling, hump”). The expected form is bile; the rounding of the diphthong could be caused by the initial b- and/or by association with etymology 2.

Relationships mentioned by the source

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

  • Inherited-form mentionbileenm
  • Inherited-form mentionbȳlang
  • Inherited-form mention*būlijōgem-pro
  • Cognate mentionbuilnl · boil, swelling
  • Cognate mentionBeulede · boil, hump
  • Cognate mentionbeylais · swelling, hump
Inspect preserved source fields

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

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      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "bile"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English bile"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "bȳl"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English bȳl"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*būlijō"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *būlijō"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "buil",
        "t": "boil, swelling"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch buil (“boil, swelling”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "Beule",
        "t": "boil, hump"
      },
      "expansion": "German Beule (“boil, hump”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "is",
        "2": "beyla",
        "t": "swelling, hump"
      },
      "expansion": "Icelandic beyla (“swelling, hump”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "bile",
      "bile#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "büle",
      "bule#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "bȳl",
      "byl#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "bȳle",
      "byle#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "*būlijō",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/būlijō"
    ],
    [
      "*būlō",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/būlō"
    ],
    [
      "buil",
      "buil#Dutch"
    ],
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      "Beule",
      "Beule#German"
    ],
    [
      "beyla",
      "beyla#Icelandic"
    ]
  ],
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  "descendants": [],
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        "A localized accumulation of pus in the skin, resulting from infection."
      ],
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Source etymology 2 · variant 1/2

Original entry ↗
verb

To heat to the point where it begins to turn into a gas. · To cook in boiling water. · To begin to turn into a gas, seethe. · To bring to a boil, to heat so as to cause the contents to boil.

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

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bew-der.? Proto-Indo-European *bʰel-der.? Latin bulla Proto-Indo-European *-yétider. Latin -iō Latin bulliō Old French boillirbor. Middle English boillen English boil From Middle English boillen, from Old French boillir (see French bouillir) from Latin bullīre (“to bubble, boil”), from bulla (“bubble”). Displaced native Old English weallan (intransitive) and wiellan (transitive). More at wall, well.

Relationships mentioned by the source

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

This page abbreviates 6 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.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:boillen",
        "id": "verb",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *bew-der.?\nProto-Indo-European *bʰel-der.?\nLatin bulla\nProto-Indo-European *-yétider.\nLatin -iō\nLatin bulliō\nOld French boillirbor.\nMiddle English boillen\nEnglish boil\n[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"boillir\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"gloss\" : \"swelling\", \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*bew-\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"id\" : \"blow\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*bʰel-\", \"gloss\" : \"to blow, to swell up\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"bulla\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" }, { \"id\" : \"fourth conjugation\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-yéti\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-iō\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"bulliō\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"bolir\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"boillen\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"boil\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"verb\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"boil\" id=\"English:_verb\">"
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    },
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      "name": "der",
      "args": {
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        "2": "fro",
        "3": "boillir"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French boillir"
    },
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      "name": "cog",
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        "1": "fr",
        "2": "bouillir"
      },
      "expansion": "French bouillir"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "bulliō",
        "4": "bullīre",
        "t": "to bubble, boil"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin bullīre (“to bubble, boil”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "ncog",
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        "2": "weallan"
      },
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    },
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    }
  ],
  "links": [
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      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/bew-"
    ],
    [
      "*bʰel-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/bʰel-#Proto-Indo-European:_blow"
    ],
    [
      "bulla",
      "bulla#Latin"
    ],
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      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-yéti"
    ],
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      "-iō",
      "-io#Latin:_fourth_conjugation"
    ],
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      "bulliō",
      "bullio#Latin"
    ],
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      "boillir",
      "bolir#Old_French"
    ],
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      "boillen",
      "boillen#Middle_English"
    ],
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      "boillen",
      "boillen#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "boillir",
      "boillir#Old_French"
    ],
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      "bouillir",
      "bouillir#French"
    ],
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      "bullīre",
      "bullio#Latin"
    ],
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      "bulla",
      "bulla#Latin"
    ],
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      "weallan",
      "weallan#Old_English"
    ],
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      "wiellan",
      "wiellan#Old_English"
    ],
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      "wall",
      "wall"
    ],
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      "well",
      "well"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [
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      "lang_code": "tpi",
      "word": "boilim",
      "raw_tags": [
        "reshaped by analogy or addition of morphemes"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "Mokilese",
      "lang_code": "mkj",
      "word": "pwoail",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    }
  ],
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        "To heat to the point where it begins to turn into a gas.",
        "To cook in boiling water.",
        "To begin to turn into a gas, seethe.",
        "To bring to a boil, to heat so as to cause the contents to boil."
      ],
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Source etymology 2 · variant 2/2

Original entry ↗
noun

The point at which fluid begins to change to a vapour; the boiling point. · An instance of boiling. · A dish of boiled food, especially seafood. · A social event at which people gather to boil and eat food, especially seafood. (Compare a bake or clambake.)

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

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bew-der.? Proto-Indo-European *bʰel-der.? Latin bulla Proto-Indo-European *-yétider. Latin -iō Latin bulliō Old French boillirbor. Middle English boillen English boil From Middle English boillen, from Old French boillir (see French bouillir) from Latin bullīre (“to bubble, boil”), from bulla (“bubble”). Displaced native Old English weallan (intransitive) and wiellan (transitive). More at wall, well.

Relationships mentioned by the source

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

This page abbreviates 2 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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  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:boillen",
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        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *bew-der.?\nProto-Indo-European *bʰel-der.?\nLatin bulla\nProto-Indo-European *-yétider.\nLatin -iō\nLatin bulliō\nOld French boillirbor.\nMiddle English boillen\nEnglish boil\n[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"boillir\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"gloss\" : \"swelling\", \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*bew-\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"id\" : \"blow\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*bʰel-\", \"gloss\" : \"to blow, to swell up\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"bulla\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" }, { \"id\" : \"fourth conjugation\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-yéti\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-iō\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"bulliō\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"bolir\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"boillen\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"boil\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"verb\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"boil\" id=\"English:_verb\">"
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      "name": "der",
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    },
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      "name": "cog",
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      },
      "expansion": "French bouillir"
    },
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      "name": "der",
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        "1": "en",
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    },
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      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *bew-der.?\nProto-Indo-European *bʰel-der.?\nLatin bulla\nProto-Indo-European *-yétider.\nLatin -iō\nLatin bulliō\nOld French boillirbor.\nMiddle English boillen\nEnglish boil"
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  ],
  "links": [
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      "*bʰel-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/bʰel-#Proto-Indo-European:_blow"
    ],
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      "bulla",
      "bulla#Latin"
    ],
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      "boillen",
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      "boillen",
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      "boillir",
      "boillir#Old_French"
    ],
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      "bouillir",
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      "bullīre",
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      "bulla",
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      "well",
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  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
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        "The point at which fluid begins to change to a vapour; the boiling point.",
        "An instance of boiling.",
        "A dish of boiled food, especially seafood.",
        "A social event at which people gather to boil and eat food, especially seafood. (Compare a bake or clambake.)"
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for boil →

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
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Permanent entry ID
w-Ym9pbA