means A slender rounded rod, often tapered at the ends, used to twist and wind thread when spinning fibers into yarn — and by extension any thin rotating axis around which something turns.

from From Old English 'spinel' or 'spindel,' built from the verb 'spinnan' (to spin) plus a diminutive ending — so quite literally 'the little spinning thing.' It belongs to a broad Germanic family, with relatives like German 'Spindel' and Dutch 'spil,' all rooted in the ancient act of drawing out and twisting fiber. The shape proved so useful that the name spread to anything spindle-thin or spindle-shaped, from machine axles to legs.