dell
/dɛl/
noun
Origin
Proto-Germanic
*dalą — valley, dale, hollow
Overview
Meaning Now
- A small, secluded valley, typically one that is wooded.
Literal older meaning
hollow, pit
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
dæl
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
The word stems from the same Germanic root as 'dale'. In early Middle English, 'dell' and 'dale' were often used interchangeably for a depression in the ground, but over time, 'dell' acquired a more specific poetic association with small, sheltered, often wooded hollows, while 'dale' remained the broader term for a valley.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*dalą
“hollow, valley”
- Old English
dæl
“valley, dale”
- Middle English
delle
“pit, hollow”
Spelling variation of 'dale'
- Modern English
dell
“small wooded valley”
Connections
Word parts
dell
root
valley or hollow
Related across languages
Old Saxon
deli
valley
Old High German
tal
valley
Old Norse
dalr
valley
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Related to dell
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.