Mid 19th century; earliest use found in Peter Simmonds (1814–1897), newsagent and journalist. From Malayalam and Telugu pāla, Tamil pālai (usually also pronounced as pāla), name applied to several plants with milky sap from Malayalam pāl, Tamil pāl animal or vegetable milk<br>mid 19th century. From post-classical Latin pala shovel-shaped or scoop-shaped structure forming an extension of the tarsus of the foreleg in certain aquatic heteropteran insects from classical Latin pāla spade, of uncertain origin.