'panhandle' originates from the English words 'pan' and 'handle', where 'pan' refers to a cooking utensil and 'handle' refers to the part by which it is held.

'panhandle' was used to describe a narrow strip of land resembling the handle of a pan, and eventually became a term for begging, as beggars would metaphorically 'extend a hand' like a panhandle.

Initially, it meant 'a narrow strip of land', but over time it evolved to also mean 'to beg for money or food'.