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ethel

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Ethel¹

  • /ˈɛθɪl/

Sounds like ethyl (one pronunciation) · Rhymes with -ɛθɪl

Where it comes from

Short form of names of Old English origin beginning with Ethel-, æþele (“noble”). First used in the 19th century. Cognate to the Germanic Adela and Adele.

proper noun Ethyl

  1. A female given name from Old English, popular at the turn of the 20th century. If it is so false, and base, and hollow, this great world […] why does Ethel Newcome cling to it? Will you be fairer, dear, with any other name than your own?
  2. An unincorporated community in Arkansas County, Arkansas.
  3. An unincorporated community in Greenfield Township, Orange County, Indiana.
  4. An unincorporated community in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana.
  5. A town in Attala County, Mississippi.
  6. A town in Macon County, Missouri.
  7. An unincorporated community in Pushmataha County, Oklahoma.
  8. An unincorporated community in Richmond County, Virginia.
  9. An unincorporated community in Lewis County, Washington.
  10. An unincorporated community in Logan County, West Virginia.
  11. A hamlet in Huron County, Ontario, Canada.

ethel²

  • /ˈɛθ.əl/

Where it comes from

Learned borrowing from Middle English ethel, from Old English ǣþel, ēþel.

noun œthel

  1. The rune ᛟ.
  2. The name of the Latin script letter Œ/œ.

Similar: odal

adjective

  1. obsolete Noble. […] that he was of a doughty and ethel stirp. His ayle and eam had both been bellipotent; […]

ethel³

  • /ˈɛθ.əl/

noun ethels

  1. alternative Alternative form of athel (“tamarisk”). For quotations using this term, see Citations:ethel.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: athol, merman, distinguished, noble, aristocratic, highborn, patrician, exalted, grand, august, dignified, stately, eminent, illustrious, princely, lofty

noun

Similar: odal

Translations

Every language

name female given name

日本語エセル eseru

noun name of the Futharc rune

Русскийодал odal

noun name of the Latin letter (Œ, œ)

Française dans l'o
Deutschoe-Ligatur
Русскийодал odal

Talk about this word

Cite this
MLA

"ethel." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/ethel. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

ethel. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/ethel

Chicago

"ethel." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/ethel.

BibTeX
@misc{ethel_2026,
  title = {ethel},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/ethel},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}