"Pell" comes from the Latin word "pellere," meaning "to drive, push, or thrust." This root appears in many words, including:
* Repel: To drive away or resist.
* Expel: To force someone to leave a place.
* Propellant: A substance that propels something forward.
* Impulse: A sudden urge or feeling.
While "compel" doesn't directly use "pell" itself, it derives from the Latin "compellere," which combines "com" (meaning "with" or "together") with "pellere." This combination gives us the meaning of "to drive together," which aligns with the sense of "force" in "compel."