Etymology

Through Aramaic ultimately from Ancient Greek ὄχλος ‎(ókhlos), casted into the root א־כ־ל־ס ‎(ʾ-kh-l-s). Perhaps from a Proto-Indo-European *woǵʰlos, from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- (whence also ἔχω ‎(ékhō, “I bear, bring”)), with cognates such as Old Norse vagl. Compare also Old Armenian յոգն ‎(yogn).