funnel
UK[ˈfʌn(ə)l]US[ˈfʌn(ə)l]
n
A tube that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, used for guiding liquid or powder into a small opening.
n
A metal chimney on a ship or steam engine.
v
To move or guide something through or as if through a funnel.
Etymology
The word 'funnel' has a liquid history, flowing into English from the Old Provençal 'fonilh' in the 15th century. Its ultimate source is the Latin 'infundibulum', a device for pouring ('infundere') liquids. The core Latin verb 'fundere', meaning 'to pour' or 'to melt', is a prolific root, giving us words like 'foundry', 'fusion', and 'refund'. Over centuries, the initial syllable was lost, streamlining 'infundibulum' into the simpler 'funnel', which retains the essential concept of a tool for channeling and directing flow, whether of grain, water, or even abstract things like information or resources.
Analysis
The word 'funnel' is a simplex word derived from a single root. It originates from the Old Provençal 'fonilh', which itself came from the Late Latin 'fundibulum', an alteration of the Latin 'infundibulum' (meaning 'funnel'). The Latin root is 'infundere' (to pour in), from 'in-' (in) + 'fundere' (to pour).
Examples
She used a funnel to pour the oil into the bottle.
The company funnels most of its profits into research and development.
Smoke poured from the ship's funnel as it left the harbor.