Reel
/riːl/noun
A rotating spool or cylinder for winding something, or a lively dance or piece of music.
Did you know?The dance sense of reel comes through Scottish and Irish tradition, while the “to stagger” sense is a separate older word that may be related to a root meaning “to turn or whirl,” giving the word a surprisingly kinetic history.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ret-
“to run, move, or turn in a swift motion”
Old Norse / Old English
Germanic
hrið / hrēol
“a wheel-like spindle or turning device”
Middle English
English
reel(e)
“a revolving device for winding thread or line”
16th-17th Century
English
reel
“a lively dance, especially in Scotland and Ireland”
Modern English
English
reel
“a spool, a dance, or to stagger or be unable to stand steadily”