Sorrel
/ˈsɔːr.əl/noun
A sour-tasting herb with tangy leaves, or a reddish-brown horse.
Did you know?The plant name *sorrel* comes from a Germanic word for “sour,” and the same root also gave English *sour*, so this is one of those rare words whose flavor is built right into its history.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*sūr-
“sour, tart”
Old High German
OHG
sūr
“sour, acid”
Old French
OF
surele
“sorrel plant; sour-tasting herb”
Middle English
ME
sorel
“sorrel, the sour herb”
Modern English
English
sorrel
“a sour-tasting herb; also a reddish-brown horse”