Gull
/ɡʌl/noun
A seabird of the family Laridae, or to trick someone.
Did you know?The “fool” sense of gull likely grew from a now-obsolete word for a young bird, so English quietly turned an innocent nestling into a symbol of being easily deceived.
Etymological Timeline
Late Middle English
English
gull
“A young bird, especially a fledgling; later, a foolish person”
17th Century
English
gull
“To deceive, trick, or swindle”
17th Century
English
gull
“A person who is easily cheated; a dupe”
Earlier Germanic origin
Proto-Germanic
*gulōną
“Likely a word connected with a young bird or chick, though the exact prehistory is uncertain”
Modern English
English
gull
“A seabird, or a person who is easily deceived”