Sikel
/ˈsɪkəl/noun
An obsolete or Middle English form of “sickle,” a curved blade used for harvesting grain.
Did you know?The sickle’s association with death grew from its older agricultural role: it literally cut down living crops, making it a powerful symbol of mortality and time.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sek-
“To cut”
Classical Latin
Latin
secāre
“To cut or sever”
Classical Latin
Latin
secūla
“A sickle or cutting instrument”
Old English
Old English
sicol / sicel
“A sickle, the curved tool used to cut crops”
Middle English
Middle English
sikel
“A sickle; a harvesting blade”
Modern English
English
sickle
“A short-handled, curved blade used chiefly for cutting crops”