sorrel

sorrel · noun¹

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*sūraz“sour”
2. Old French · derived fromsur“sour”
3. Old French · derived fromsorel
4. Middle English · inherited fromsorel
5. English todaysorrel

From Middle English sorel, from Old French sorel, surele (“sorrel”), from Old French sur (“sour”), of Germanic origin, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *sūraz (“sour”); equivalent to sour + -el (diminutive suffix). Compare Old English sūre (“sorrel”), Icelandic súra (“sorrel”), Dutch zuring (“dock (plant), sorrel”). More at sour.

sorrel · noun, adjective²

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*sauzaz“dry”
2. Frankish · derived from*sauʀ(ī)“dried”
3. Middle French · derived fromsor“yellowish-brown, reddish-brown”
4. Middle French · derived from*sorel
5. Middle English · inherited from*sorel
6. English todaysorrel

From Middle English *sorel, from Middle French *sorel, sorrel, surrel, from Middle French sor (“yellowish-brown, reddish-brown”), probably from Old Frankish *sauʀ(ī) (“dried”), from Proto-Germanic *sauzaz (“dry”); equivalent to sore (“reddish-brown”) + -el (diminutive suffix). Cognate with Middle Dutch soor (“dry”), Old High German sōrēn (“to become dry”), and Old English sēar (“withered, barren”). See also sere.

Words from the same roots