Etymology

ordeal

or·deal
O1R1D2E1A1L1

Today it means: A trial in which the accused was subjected to a dangerous test (such as ducking in water), divine authority deciding the guilt of the accused. Full definition →

Middle English ordel ← Medieval Latin ordālium ← Old English ordēl
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The story

  1. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*uʀdailī“judgement”
  2. Old English · inherited fromordēl
  3. Medieval Latin · derived fromordālium
  4. Middle English · inherited fromordel
  5. English todayordeal

From Middle English ordel, ordal, from Medieval Latin ordālium or inherited from its source Old English ordēl, ordāl (“ordeal, judgement”), from Proto-West Germanic *uʀdailī (“judgement”, literally “an out-dealing”), from *uʀdailijan (“to deal out; dispense”). For more, see Old English or-, English deal. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Uurdeel (“judgement; verdict”), West Frisian oardiel (“judgement”), Dutch oordeel (“judgement, discretion”), Low German Oordeel (“judgement; verdict”), German Urteil (“judgement, verdict”).

Words from the same roots

Medieval Latinordālium all →

ordalium

Proto-West Germanic*uʀdailī all →

ordalium

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.