bailey English · revision 13239

− It is Middle English bail(l)y, baylle, a variant of [[bail]] in the sense of an outer wall,^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) probably from Old French baile, bail(l)e, a palisade, enclosure, enclosed court,^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998)^(SOED 2002)^(Etymonline) which is of unknown origin, perhaps ultimately connected with Latin bacula, sticks, from the idea of a palisade of stakes.^(Etymonline)