A Cowl Covers a Monk and a Chimney
A cowl is a hooded garment. Engineering borrowed the word for anything that hoods a machine.
A cowl is a large hood, especially the one attached to a monk's habit. Engineering borrowed it wholesale for anything that hoods a machine: a *chimney cowl* is a cap that stops downdraught, a *cowling* covers an aircraft engine, and a car's cowl is the panel between bonnet and windscreen. The proverb *the cowl does not make the monk* dates to medieval Latin and warns against judging by appearance — the garment stood for the whole calling.
- A monk's hood. *A monk's cowl.*
- A chimney cap. *A chimney cowl.*
- An engine cover. *Engine cowling.*
- A cowl neck. *A cowl-neck jumper.*
- Latin — *cucullus*, a hood. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | cowl | A cowl. |
| Plural | cowls | Cowls. |
| Noun | cowling | Cowling. |
| Adjective | cowled | A cowled figure. |
| Latin | cucullus | A hood. |
- The monk pulled up his cowl.Garment.
- A cowl stops the chimney smoking.Building.
- The cowling covers the engine.Aviation.
Monastic words in general use
- Cowl — the hood, now also a machine cover
- Habit — the garment, then any settled practice
- Cell — a monk's room, then a prison room and a unit of life
- Cloister — the covered walk, then any sheltered life
- Abbey and abbot — from Aramaic *abba*, father
Old English *cugele*, from late Latin *cuculla*, from Latin *cucullus*, a hood.
What does the cowl does not make the monk mean?
That appearance does not prove the reality. It is a medieval Latin proverb warning against judging by dress.
Why is an engine cover called a cowling?
Because it hoods the engine the way a cowl hoods a head. The word was borrowed for the shape and function.