Middle English word eile comes from Proto-Indo-European *h₂egʰ-, Proto-Germanic *agilō, and later Proto-Germanic *agluz (Cumbersome; tedious; tiresome; burdensome.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *h₂egʰ- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *agilō | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | |
| *h₂egʰ-lo- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| eġl | Old English (ang) | |
| *agluz | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | Cumbersome; tedious; tiresome; burdensome. |
| eġle | Old English (ang) | |
| egle | Old English (ang) | Hideous; loathsome; hateful; horrid; troublesome; grievous; painful. |
| eiȝle | Middle English (enm) |