heel
UK[hiːl]US[hiːl]
n
The back part of the foot below the ankle.
n
The part of a shoe, boot, or stocking that covers or supports the heel.
n
A part or object shaped like or positioned at the heel, such as the end of a loaf of bread or the part of a violin bow held by the player.
v
To follow closely behind someone.
v
To fit or renew a heel on a shoe or boot.
Etymology
The word 'heel' has a straightforward lineage tracing back to Proto-Germanic. Its ancestor, 'hanhaz', referred to the bent joint of the leg, akin to the hock of a horse. From this, a diminutive form 'hanhilō-' evolved, specifically denoting the projecting back part of the human foot. This term passed into Old English as 'hēla' and eventually simplified to 'heel' in Modern English. The semantic journey is one of specialization, moving from a general term for a bent joint to the precise anatomical and sartorial feature we know today.
Analysis
This is a simplex word of Germanic origin. The Old English form 'hēla' is derived from the Proto-Germanic 'hanhilō-', which is a diminutive form related to 'hanhaz' meaning 'hock' (the joint in an animal's hind leg).
Examples
She had a blister on her heel from the new shoes.
The heels on these boots are worn down and need to be replaced.
The dog was trained to heel at its owner's side.