Ealu
/ˈæ͜ɑ.lu/noun
An Old English word for ale or beer.
Did you know?Old English poetry treats ealu as a prestigious drink of communal feasting, while the exact distinction between ealu and the related word beor remains debated by historians.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*alutą
“A fermented alcoholic drink, probably ale or beer”
Proto-West Germanic
PWGmc
*alu
“Ale or beer”
Old English
Old English
ealu
“Ale, beer, or fermented drink”
Middle English
Middle English
ale
“A fermented malt drink; also a drinking feast”
Modern English
English
ale
“A type of beer traditionally fermented with top-fermenting yeast”