Eel
/iːl/noun
A long, snake-like fish with a slippery body and no pelvic fins.
Did you know?The English word eel is one of those ancient inherited words whose deeper history is so old that linguists can only trace it back to Proto-Germanic and probably beyond, showing how long humans have been naming this uncanny, serpent-like creature.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂el-
“A proposed ancient root meaning “eel” or “snake-like fish,” though the deepest origin is uncertain.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*ēlaz
“Eel.”
Old English
OE
ǣl
“Eel.”
Middle English
ME
el
“Eel.”
Modern English
English
eel
“A long, snake-like fish.”