English
growl
Growl comes from Middle English groulen.
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500groulen
- Englishearliest quotation 1692growl
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500groulen
- Englishearliest quotation 1692growl
Earliest quotation: 1692, Roger L’Estrange, London: […] R[ichard] Sare: “[T]here are Wolf-Whelps in Palaces, and Governments, as well…”
The story
The word is cognate with Middle Dutch grollen (‘to make a noise; to croak, grumble, murmur; to be angry’) (modern Dutch grollen (‘to grumble’)), German grollen (‘to rumble; to be angry, bear ill will’), Old English grillan, griellan (‘to provoke, offend; to gnash the teeth’). The noun is derived from the verb.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʰer- ‘to make a noise’
grand, grill, greedy, charismatic, grit, yearn, grime, yar, chromatic, ochre, grisly, grist, grimace, grout, exhort, 17 more
Today it means
noun A deep, rumbling, threatening sound made in the throat by an animal.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Middle English groulen / growl