English
sorrel
Sorrel comes from Old French sorel, from sur ‘sour’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *súHros.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*súHros‘sour, salty, bitter’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*sūraz‘sour’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400sur‘sour’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400sorel
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 2007sorrel
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*súHros‘sour, salty, bitter’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*sūraz‘sour’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400sur‘sour’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400sorel
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 2007sorrel
Earliest quotation: 2007, African and Caribbean Celebrations: “Now, many people drink alcohol, but when I was…”
Formed from sour + -el
Proto-Indo-European *súHros
Proto-Germanic *sūraz
Proto-West Germanic *sūr ‘sour, acidic’
Old English sūr
Middle English sour ‘sour, acidic, bitter’
English sour
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *súHros ‘sour, salty, bitter’
through Proto-Germanic *sūraz ‘sour’
through Old French sorel
Another origin of sorrel
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*saus-‘dry, parched’uncertain
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*sauzaz‘dry’uncertain
- Frankishc. 250–700*saur‘dried’uncertain
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600sor‘yellowish-brown, reddish-brown’
- Middle French, derivedc. 1400–1600*sorelreconstructed
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same formreconstructed
- Englishtodaysorrel
Today it means
noun Any of various plants with acidic leaves of the genus Rumex, especially
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *súHros / sorrel