Yel

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. An archaic variant of yell, meaning to cry out loudly or shriek in a piercing voice
2. Old spelling of the verb yell, describing a loud, piercing outcry made with the voice
3. A dated form of a verb meaning to shout or scream sharply, typically in alarm or excitement

Etymology: "Yel" is an old spelling of "yell," the verb for crying out loudly. It is rare today, but Middle English writers used "yelle" and "yelen," and this shorter form appears in the same family of spellings. The verb descends from Old English "giellan," which meant to make a loud, resounding cry, and that sense of sound filling the air is still close to the surface. The word's relatives in other Germanic languages point the same way. Old Norse "gjalla" meant to ring or resound, as a bell does, and German "gellen" means to ring shrilly or echo. So the core idea behind the verb was less a human shout than a piercing noise that carries, which is why the same root could describe both a voice and a ringing sound.