*feþlą

From Proto-Indo-European *péth2-lo-m, from root *peth2- (‘to spread out; to fly’), likely from an early PIE *péth2-tlo-m, with instrument suffix *-tlom, where the *-t-was assimilated by the root’s dental ending after the loss of the laryngeal (see Olsen 1988). Cognate with Ancient Greek πέταλον (pétalon) (pétalon, ‘leaf of plant, flower, or tree’) and a case which shows the original geminate *-tt-, Sanskrit पत्त्र॑ (páttra) (páttra, ‘leaf of a particular fragrant plant, or a particular plant with fragrant leaves; leaf of a manuscript, leaf for writing on; paper, or leaf of paper’).