Paelle is the Old French word cited as an ancestor of Catalan paella.
The etymological chain given for paella runs from Latin patella, meaning “pan,” through Old French paelle, meaning a frying pan, to the Catalan word paella. The dish ultimately inherited its name from the wide, shallow pan used to prepare it, rather than from a particular ingredient or cooking technique.
This background also links paella to related words in neighboring languages. The same Latin root is associated with modern French poêle, Italian padella, and Old Spanish padilla. In Latin American Spanish, paila is another related cookware term for a shallow metal pan or earthenware bowl.
The wording “cited as” matters because word origins can attract competing theories. A popular alternative proposes an Arabic source connected with leftovers, but the paelle explanation is the etymology presented in the referenced account and is the canonical answer for this question. Catalan and Valencian usage also preserves the practical connection: paella can refer to the pan as well as the rice dish cooked in it.