Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “shrill” come from?

Shrill comes from Middle English shirle, from Middle English schille, from Old English scill, of uncertain origin.

shrill (English): High-pitched and piercing; Having a shrill voice;...

Definitions

  1. High-pitched and piercing; Having a shrill voice;...

Ancestry of “shrill”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishschrille—
2Old Englishscillsonorous sounding; shell

Words derived from “shrill”

  • shrilly
  • shrillness
  • shrillish
  • outshrill
  • unshrill
Every word from Old English scill →