rappel

R1A1P3P3E1L1
UK/ɹæˈpɛl/US/ɹəˈpɛl/

noun

Descent by means of a rope.

Similar
rappellingabseilingabseilrope down
OriginFrench rappeler ← Latin appellāre ← Proto-Italic *pelnō →
UncommonScrabble 10
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Meanings

rappel1

nounrappel (plural rappels)

plural rappels

  1. Descent by means of a rope.

    Synonyms: rappelling, abseiling

verbrappel (third-person singular simple present rappels, present participle rappelling or rappeling, simple past and past participle rappelled or rappeled)

present singular third person rappels · participle present rappelling · participle present rappeling · participle past rappelled · past rappelled · participle past rappeled · past rappeled

  1. To abseil.
  2. obsoleteTo call back a hawk.

rappel2

nounrappel (plural rappels)

plural rappels

  1. governmentA drumbeat pattern for calling soldiers to gather.

    […] he has to retramp the same streets, rebeat the same rappel […]

    1839, Fraser's Magazine for Town and Country, volume 19, page 711

Synonyms & antonyms

nounDescent by means of a rope.

Similar
rappellingabseiling

More synonyms by meaning

noun(mountaineering) a descent of a vertical cliff or wall made by using a doubled rope that is fixed to a higher point and wrapped around the body

Similar
abseil
Broader
descent

verbdescend by means of a rappel

Similar
abseilrope down
Broader
descendfallgo down
Also see
abseil

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

rappel · noun, verb

  1. Proto-Italic*wre-
  2. Latinre-
  3. Frenchre-
  4. Proto-Indo-European*h₂éd
  5. Proto-Italic*ad
  6. Proto-Italic*ad-
  7. Latinad-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*pel-
  9. Proto-Indo-European*pelh₂-
  10. Proto-Italic*pelnō
  11. Latinpellō
  12. Latinappellāre
  13. Frenchappeler
  14. Frenchrappeler
  15. Englishrappel

Borrowed from French rappeler (“to pull through (a rope)”).

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

rappel · noun

  1. Frenchrappel
  2. Englishrappel

Borrowed from French rappel. Compare repeal.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian рапел
  • рапел (rapel)to abseil
Czech slaňovat, slanit
  • slaňovatto abseil
  • slanitto abseil
Dutch abseilen
  • abseilento abseil
French descendre en rappel
  • descendre en rappelto abseil
Polish opuszczać się przy pomocy liny, opuścić się przy pomocy liny
  • opuszczać się przy pomocy linyto abseil
  • opuścić się przy pomocy linyto abseil
Russian спуска́ться на верёвке
  • спуска́ться на верёвке (spuskátʹsja na verjóvke)to abseil
Spanish rápel
  • rápelto abseil
Swedish fira ner sig, fira sig ner
  • fira ner sigto abseil
  • fira sig nerto abseil
Ukrainian спускатися по мотузці
  • спускатися по мотузці (spuskatysja po motuzci)to abseil

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with rappel

wellhotellsellcelltelleldelpersonneldellNFLshellfellexcelMichellegeldlmotelspellsmellrebelbellemelmichel
All rhymes →

Anagrams

lapperprelap
Cite this entry
APA

rappel. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rappel

MLA

“rappel.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rappel. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rappel,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rappel.

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