Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “squeal” come from?

squeal (English) comes from Middle English squelen, from Old Norse skvala, from Proto-Germanic *skwel-, from Proto-Indo-European sḱel-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱelh₁- — to warm up, to be hot; to warm up, be hot.

squeal (English): A high-pitched sound, such as the scream of a...

Definitions

  1. A high-pitched sound, such as the scream of a...

Ancestry of “squeal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishsquelento cry, scream, squall
2Old Norseskvalato cry out
3Proto-Germanic*skwel-—
4Proto-Indo-Europeansḱel-—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱelh₁-to warm up, to be hot; to warm up, be hot

Words derived from “squeal”

  • squealing
  • squealer
  • squealy
  • squealingly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱelh₁- →