Plural of axle; rods or shafts around which wheels rotate, or the pins and rods connecting wheels to a vehicle.
From Old Norse 'öxull' (axis) via Middle English 'axel.' This essential mechanical component has been crucial since ancient wheeled vehicles.
The axle is so fundamental to transportation that the word has been around for over 1,000 years—ancient chariots had axles just like modern cars do.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.