Ringlet
/ˈrɪŋ.lɪt/noun
A small ring or a small curl of hair.
Did you know?The -let ending is a diminutive, so ringlet began life as a “small ring” before it was used for the coiled curls that look ring-shaped.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sker-
“to turn, bend, or twist”
Old English
OE
hring
“a ring, circle, or something curved”
Middle English
Middle English
ring
“a circular band or loop”
14th Century
English
ringlet
“a small ring or curl; a little circular loop”
Modern English
English
ringlet
“a small ring or a small curl of hair”