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pur·lin also pur·line

(pûrlĭn)

One of several horizontal timbers supporting the rafters of a roof.

[Middle English purloyne, purlyn, possibly from Anglo-Norman *purloigne, extension (perhaps used in a spatial sense; compare continental Old French pourloigne, delay, postponement, in a temporal sense), from Anglo-Norman purloigner, to delay, prolong; see PURLOIN.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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