Wordwyrt

churl

Meaninga man, a freeman

Common meaning: a rude person

Journey through time

  1. Old Englishceorl‘a churl’sourceB&T
  2. Middle Englishcherlsource
  3. Englishchurl‘a rude person’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: not available. Respelling: generated.
  • US IPA: not available. Respelling: generated.

Origin: Built on Old English ceorl ‘a man, a freeman’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Skeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), entry CHURL, p. 110 · dictionary scan; Bosworth & Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary (1898), entry CEORL, p. 152 · dictionary scan

Roots

  • ceorl Old English “a man, a freeman”

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