gabel

G2A1B3E1L1
/ˈɡeɪbəl/

noun

Any rent, charge, tribute, custom, tax, duty, excise etc.

OriginMiddle French gabelle ← Late Latin gabella →
UncommonScrabble 8
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Meanings

gabel1

noungabel (plural gabels)

plural gabels

  1. obsoletelawAny rent, charge, tribute, custom, tax, duty, excise etc.

    He enables St. Peter to pay his gabel by the ministry of a fish.

    1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Francis Ashe […], →OCLC
    2 more examples

    The same Imposition might also be made on the Tin spent at home, unless it be as impossible so to do, as for the King of France to impose the Gabel upon Salt in the very places where it is made.

    1662, A Treatise of Taxes and Contributions, chapter VI

    These Mercenary Officers who had no greater desire, than to demonstrate to the Emperor their Zeal and affection to his service, serewed and ra­vished from the Mariners by violence, illegal and unaccustomed Gabels upon all sorts of Com­modities.

    1674, Procopius (original), unknown translator, Secret History

gabel2

noungabel (plural gabels)

plural gabels

  1. obsoleteObsolete spelling of gable

Origin

  1. Late Latingabella
  2. Middle Frenchgabelle
  3. Englishgabel

A form of gavel (“rent, tax”) influenced by Middle French gabelle, from Late Latin gabella, gabulum, gablum; of uncertain origin. Compare gavel (“tribute”).

More words from Middle French, Late Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

bagelgablebagleglebaGebalgalbe
Cite this entry
APA

gabel. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gabel

MLA

“gabel.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gabel. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gabel,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gabel.

Source: gabel on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.