An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Pfeiler

by Friedrich Kluge

Pfeiler, masculine, from the equivalent Middle High German pfîlœre, Old High German pfîlâri, masculine, ‘pillar’; borrowed prior to the Old High German period from Middle Latin pîlâre, pîlarius (Latin pîla), ‘pillar,’ whence also Dutch pijlaar. Compare Italian piliere, French pilier, English pillar (to which English and French pile, formed from Latin pîla, is allied).