Etymology: In early use in sense 1 < Middle French palus marsh (beginning of the 12th cent. in Anglo-Norman as palud ; French (now archaic or literary in this sense) palus ) < classical Latin palūs marsh (compare Sanskrit palvala pool, Tamil paḷḷa pit, wet ground), probably ultimately < the same Indo-European base as ancient Greek πλύνειν to wash, classical Latin pluit it rains (see etymological note s.v. flow v.); in quot. 1816 at sense 1 probably < classical Latin palūs . In sense 2 reborrowed < French palus type of alluvial plain on the bottom of a former river valley or dried-up coastal marsh where wine is usually grown (1802 in vin des palus ), specific use of French palus (see above). With sense 1 compare earlier palude n.

Etymology: < classical Latin pālus pale n.¹