Hovel
/ˈhʌv.əl/noun
A small, poorly built, and often dirty dwelling.
Did you know?Hovel likely entered English through Old French and may be related to a Germanic root seen in Dutch and German words for a hut or shelter, showing how everyday words often hide a long history of survival, not comfort.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*hūbalą
“a covering, hood, or shelter”
Old French
OF
hovel
“small hut or shelter”
Middle English
ME
hovel
“a hut, shed, or rude shelter”
Modern English
English
hovel
“a miserable or squalid dwelling”