early 14c., from Old English tigele "roofing shingle," from Proto-Germanic *tegala (Old Saxon tiegla, Old High German ziagal, German ziegel, Dutch tegel, Old Norse tigl), a borrowing from Latin tegula "roof-tile" (source also of Italian tegola, French tuile), from tegere "to roof, to cover," from PIE root *(s)teg- "to cover." Also used in Old English and early Middle English for "brick," before that word came into use.