Late Middle English; earliest use found in John Gower (d. 1408), poet. From Anglo-Norman penuncel, pennuncel, penencel and Middle French penoncel, panoncel, pannoncel, pannuncel (plural penonciaus, penonceaulx, etc.; 1165 in Old French; Middle French, French panonceau) from penon + -cel, diminutive suffix. Compare post-classical Latin penuncellus, penonsellus, penoncellus, Old Occitan penoncel, Italian pennoncello.