Etymology Explorer › Old French

Where does “reel” come from?

reel (Old French) comes from Latin reālis, from Latin rēs, from Latin vindicatio, from Latin vindicō, from Latin vindex, from Latin dīcō, from Latin -tiō, from Latin dissertātiō — small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble.

Ancestry of “reel”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinreālis—
2Latinrēs—
3Latinvindicatiocivil lawsuit; protection, defence; vindication;...
4Latinvindicō—
5Latinvindexclaimant, vindicator
6Latindīcō—
7Latin-tiō—
8Latindissertātiō—
9Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
10Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
11Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
12Latincalceusshoe
13Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
14Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “reel”

  • real
  • realize
  • realization
  • realistic
  • Montreal
  • realizing
  • realism
  • realist
  • unrealistic
  • unreal
  • realistically
  • realizable
  • realtime
  • realtor
  • unrealistically
  • realisable
  • realness
  • neorealism
  • unrealizable
  • neorealist
  • hyperreal
  • photorealistic
  • realizability
  • antirealist
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →