Etymology

From a dialectal variant, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *kōpǭ ‎(“the prow of a sleigh”). Compare Old Norse kafl, kafli ‎(“an elongated, round piece of wood”), Old Norse kefli ‎(“a roll; scroll”), Middle Low German kavele ‎(“cut wood used for lots”), dialectal German Kabel ‎(“loose parts; odds and ends”).