Curl
/kɜːrl/noun
A strand or lock of hair that forms a spiral or ringlet; also, to form into a spiral shape.
Did you know?Curl is believed to be related to a Germanic root meaning “to bend or turn,” the same ancient idea behind words for twists, turns, and winding motion across several languages.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*kurlōną
“to curl, bend, or twist”
Middle English
English
curlen
“to form into ringlets or a spiral; to bend or wind”
16th Century
English
curl
“a spiral lock of hair or a curved form”
Modern English
English
curl
“a spiral, bend, or ringlet; to form into such a shape”