An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Keule

by Friedrich Kluge

Keule, f., ‘club, pestle; thigh; rude fellow,’ from MidHG. kiule, f., ‘club, stick, pole’; cognate with ModHG. Kaule, from MidHG. kûle, a variant of kugele, kugel. See the further references under Kugel.