English has a so-called ‘instrumental’ suffix, –LE, that can be attached to root words to create the names of tools relating to them.
So HANDLE comes from ‘hand’.
LADLE comes from ‘lade’.
GIRDLE comes from ‘gird’.
TREADLE comes from ‘tread’.
And THIMBLE comes from ‘thumb’.
(via @HaggardHawks)
