Gaul
English
Etymology
Borrowed from French Gaule (“Gaul”), from Middle French Gaule (“Gaul”), from Old French Gaule, Waulle (“Gaul”), a word used as a translation of Latin Gallia (“Gaul”), from Frankish *Walha(land) (“Gaul, Land of the Romans, foreigners”) (but see etymology for Gallus), from *Walha (“foreigners, Romans, Celts”), from Proto-Germanic *walhaz (“an outlander, foreigner, Celt”), probably of Celtic origin, from the same source as Latin Volcae (“name of a Celtic tribe in South Germany, which later emmigrated to Gaul”). Akin to Old High German Walh, Walah (“a Celt, Roman, Gaul”), Old English Wealh, Walh (“a non-Germanic foreigner, Celt/Briton/Welshman”), Old Norse Valir (“Gauls, Frenchmen”). More at Wales/Welsh, Cornwall, Walloon, and Vlach/Wallachia.
Despite their similar appearance, Latin Gallia is not the origin of French Gaule; the similarity is purely coincidental. According to regular sound changes in the phonetic development of Old French, Latin g before a becomes j (compare gamba, whence jambe), and the i of terminal -ia transposes to the preceding syllable (compare gloire from gloria). Thus, the regular outcome of Latin Gallia is Jaille, a component still seen in several French placenames (e.g. La Jaille-Yvon, Saint-Mars-la-Jaille, etc.).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɡɔːl/
- Homophone: gall
Proper noun
Gaul
- A Roman-era region roughly corresponding to modern France and Belgium
Translations
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Noun
Gaul (plural Gauls)
- A person from Gaul.
Related terms
- Gaulish
Translations
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Anagrams
- Agul, Gula, gula, ugal
German
Etymology
From Middle High German gūl. Cognate with Dutch guil (“old horse”)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɡaʊl/
Audio (file)
Noun
Gaul m (genitive Gaules or Gauls, plural Gäule)
- (regional) horse
- (more widespread) hack, nag (bad, old or incapable horse)
Declension
singular | plural | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
indef. | def. | noun | def. | noun | |
nominative | ein | der | Gaul | die | Gäule |
genitive | eines | des | Gaules, Gauls | der | Gäule |
dative | einem | dem | Gaul, Gaule1 | den | Gäulen |
accusative | einen | den | Gaul | die | Gäule |
Further reading
- Gaul in Duden online
Hunsrik
![](Images/wiktionary/Yeguacriolla.jpg.webp)
Alternative forms
- kaul (Wiesemann spelling system)
Etymology
From Middle High German gūl. Cognate with German Gaul
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kaʊ̯l/
Noun
Gaul m (plural Geil, diminutive Geilche)
- horse
- Die Geil sin schnell.
- The horses are fast.
Further reading
- Online Hunsrik Dictionary
Pennsylvania German
Etymology
Compare German Gaul.
Noun
Gaul m (plural Geil)
- horse
Plautdietsch
Noun
Gaul f (plural Gaule)
- gall