Tell
/tɛl/noun
To communicate information to someone.
Did you know?In medieval times, ‘tell’ was often associated with revealing secrets, tying it to the power of spoken words in rituals and spells.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*del-
“to reveal or make known; to divide or distribute.”
Old English
Old English
tellan
“to count, narrate, or declare.”
Middle English
Middle English
tellen
“to relate or tell a story.”
14th Century
English
tellen
“to inform or give an account.”
Modern English
English
tell
“to communicate or instruct.”
Explore more surprising origins