hægl

Old English

Alternative forms

• hæġel, hagol

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *haglaz, probably from Proto-Indo-European *kagʰlos (“pebble”). Cognate with Old Frisian heil (West Frisian heil), Old Saxon hagal (Low Low German Hagel), Dutch hagel, Old High German hagal (German Hagel), Old Norse hagl (Danish and Icelandic hagl, Swedish hagel).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xæjl/, [hæjl]

Noun

hæġl m

1. hail
   • 10th century, Ælfric, On the Seasons of the Year

     Hæġl cymþ of reġndropum þanne hīe bēoþ ġefrorene upp on þǣre lyfte, and swā siþþan feallaþ.

     Hail comes from raindrops when they're frozen up in the air, and so fall to the ground.

2. the runic character ᚻ (/h/)

Declension

Declension of hægl (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	hæġl	hæġlas
accusative	hæġl	hæġlas
genitive	hæġles	hæġla
dative	hæġle	hæġlum

Descendants

• Middle English: hayle, hail, hayl, haile, haiel, ail, hale; haul, hawle, hawel (< Old English hagol); hagol, haȝel, haȝol, hahȝel, haghil (chiefly early)
  • English: hail
  • Scots: hail