Etymology

From Middle English newel, niwel ‎(“right down”, adverb), from Old English nēol, nȳwol, nēowol, neowol, niwol, nihol ‎(“precipitous, headlong, prone, prostrate, obscure, deep down, low, profound, abysmal”), of uncertain origin. Possibly a variant of nifol ‎(“dark, gloomy, obscure”), from Proto-Germanic *nibulaz, *nebulaz ‎(“mist, fog”), from Proto-Indo-European *nébʰelos, from Proto-Indo-European *nébʰos ‎(“cloud, mist, moisture”); or more likely, from Proto-Germanic *nīhwulaz ‎(“descending; low”), from Proto-Indo-European *kneygʷʰ- ‎(“to tend; incline; lean toward; bend”), from Proto-Indo-European *ken- ‎(“to press; pinch; kink”).

If derived from *nibulaz, then cognate with Dutch nevel ‎(“mist, fog, haze”), German Nebel ‎(“fog, mist, haze, nebula”), Icelandic nifl ‎(“fog, darkness”), Icelandic njól ‎(“mist, night, darkness”), Latin nebula ‎(“fog, cloud, vapour”), Ancient Greek νέφος ‎(néphos, “cloud”).

If derived from *nīhwulaz, then cognate with Old Frisian niwul, Middle Low German nīgel, nugel, nule, nūl ‎(“forwards; forward over”), Middle Dutch niel ‎(“thrown forward on the ground; prostrate”) (Modern Dutch nuul-, vernielen).