-rel

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | 332 words | Copyright

-rel, -erel ME. suffix of dim. and depreciatory force, repr. OF. -erel (mod. -ereau), found first in animal names, the earliest of which is maquerel (XIII) MACKEREL, followed by DOGGEREL in XIV and in XV by COCKEREL, DOTTEREL, MONGREL, PICKEREL, and later KESTREL, WHIMBREL. Formations of a more general kind are SCOUNDREL, WASTREL.

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T. F. HOAD. "-rel." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "-rel." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-rel.html

T. F. HOAD. "-rel." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-rel.html

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