Etymograph

English

runnel

Runnel comes from Old English rynel ‘that which runs’, from Proto-Germanic *runilaz ‘runner, stream’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(H)r̥-nw ‘to flow, move, run’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(H)r̥-nwH‘to flow, move, run’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*runiz‘course’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*runilaz‘runner, stream’reconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150rynel‘that which runs’
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500runel
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1892runnel

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(H)r̥-nwH‘to flow, move, run’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*runiz‘course’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*runilaz‘runner, stream’reconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150rynel‘that which runs’
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500runel
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1892runnel

Earliest quotation: 1892, Mother Talks—A Spring Walk: “Spring, is ye comen in, / Dappled larke singe,…”

Formed from run + -el

Proto-Indo-European *h₃reyH- ‘to boil, churn’

Proto-Germanic *rinnaną ‘to run’

Old English rinnan ‘to run’

Middle English rinnen ‘to run’

Middle English runnen ‘to run’

English run

Linked words

through Proto-Germanic *runiz ‘course’

rhine, ember, 1 more

Today it means

noun A small stream, a rivulet.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(H)r̥-nw / runnel

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