the word 'tiller' has a fascinating journey from agriculture to navigation. it derives from the old english tilian, which meant to labor, cultivate, or strive for. from this root, a 'tiller' originally referred to a farmer or cultivator, and by extension, to the handle of a plough used to guide it. this sense of a handle for guiding was then transferred in the 15th century to the lever used to steer a boat by controlling the rudder. simultaneously, in botany, the word was applied from the late 14th century to a new shoot growing from the base of a plant, drawing on the core idea of growth and cultivation inherent in its ancient root.

this word is a simplex form. it originates from the old english verb tilian, meaning "to strive for, obtain, cultivate." the noun form evolved to denote the means of cultivation and, later, the steering mechanism, by metaphorical extension from the idea of guiding or directing.