1738, as an anatomical term, "a diverticulum ending blindly," from French cul-de-sac, literally "bottom of a sack," from Latin culus "bottom, backside, fundament" (see tutu). For first element, see tutu; for second element, see sack (n.1). Application to a street or alley which has no outlet at one end is by 1819.

"a divided skirt," 1911, from French culotte "breeches" (16c.), a diminutive of cul "bottom, backside, backside, anus," from Latin culus "bottom, fundament" (see tutu). The word was earlier in English in the singular cullote, which was used to mean "knee-breeches" (1842). Por le cul dieu "By God's arse" was an Old French oath. Related: Culottic, literally "having or wearing breeches," hence "pertaining to the respectable class of society" (Carlyle, 1837).

c. 1200, recoilen, transitive, "force back, drive back, beat back" (senses now archaic or obsolete); c. 1300, intransitive, "shrink back, retreat," from Old French reculer "to go back, give way, recede, retreat" (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *reculare, from Latin re- "back" (see re-) + culus "backside, bottom, fundament" (see tutu). The sense of "spring back" (as a firearm when discharged) is attested from 1520s. Related: Recoiled; recoiling.