Gland
late 17th century: from French glande, alteration of Old French glandre, from Latin glandulae ‘throat glands’.
wiktionary
Late 17th century borrowing from French glande, alteration of Old French glandre, from Latin glandulae(“throat glands, tonsils”), plural of glandula(“a little acorn”), from glāns(“an acorn”) + -ula(diminutive nominal suffix).
Early 19th century, probably from Scots glam(“vice, clamp”). Related to clamp.
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
etymonline
gland (n.)
1690s, from French glande (Old French glandre "a gland," 13c.), from Latin glandula "gland of the throat, tonsil," diminutive of glans (genitive glandis) "acorn, nut; acorn-shaped ball," from PIE root *gwele- (2) "acorn" (source also of Greek balanos, Armenian kalin, Old Church Slavonic zelodi "acorn;" Lithuanian gilė "acorn"). Earlier English form was glandula (c. 1400); Middle English also had glandele "inflamed gland" (c. 1400). Extended from tonsils to glands generally.
