newel
UK /ˈnjuː.əl/ · US /ˈnu.əl/ noun
Forms newels
- noun (architecture) A central pillar around which some types of spiral staircase are spiralled.
- noun (architecture) A sturdy pillar at the top or bottom of a flight of stairs, supporting the handrail.
- noun (obsolete) A novelty; a new thing.
Synonyms
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English nowel, *newel, from Old French noel, from either Early Medieval Latin nōdellus (“buckle”, diminutive of nōdus "knot") or Late Latin nucālis (“nut-like”, derivative of nux "nut"). Doublet of noil and noyau.
From new + -el, modelled after novel (“new, original”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun A novelty; a new thing. [Obs.] Spenser.
- noun The upright post about which the steps of a circular staircase wind; hence, in stairs having straight flights, the principal post at the foot of a staircase, or the secondary ones at the landings. See Hollow newel, under Hollow.
Etymology [From New. Cf. Novel.]
Etymology [OF. nual, F. noyau sone, of fruit, noyau d'escaler newel, fr. L. nucalis like a nut, fr. nux, nucis, nut. Cf Nowel the inner wall of a mold, Nucleus..]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “newel”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details