From Middle English fellen, from Old English fellan, fiellan, from Proto-Germanic *fallijaną, causative of Proto-Germanic *fallaną, from Proto-Indo-European *peh₃lH- ("to fall"). Cognate with Dutch vellen, German fällen, Danish fælde, Norwegian felle.
From Middle English fell, fel, vel, from Old English fel, fell, from Proto-Germanic *fellą (compare West Frisian fel, Dutch vel, German Fell), from Proto-Indo-European *pel- ("skin, animal hide") (compare Latin pellis ("skin"), Lithuanian plėnė ("skin"), Russian плена́ ("pelt"), Albanian plah ("to cover"), Ancient Greek πέλλᾱς ("skin")). Related to film and pell.
From Old Norse fell, fjall, compare Norwegian Bokmål fjell 'mountain', Danish fjeld 'mountain', from Proto-Germanic *felzą, *fel(e)zaz, *falisaz (compare German Felsen 'boulder, cliff', Middle Low German vels 'hill, mountain'), from Proto-Indo-European *pelso; compare Irish aill ("boulder, cliff"), Ancient Greek πέλλα, Pashto پرښه ("rock, rocky ledge"), Sanskrit पाषाण ("stone"). Doublet of fjeld.
From Middle English fel, fell, from Old English *fel, *felo, *fæle (only in compounds, wælfel, ealfelu, ælfæle, etc.), from Proto-Germanic *faluz ("wicked, cruel, terrifying"), from Proto-Indo-European *pol- ("to pour, flow, swim, fly"). Cognate with Old Frisian fal ("cruel"), Middle Dutch fel ("wrathful, cruel, bad, base"), German Low German fell, Danish fæl ("disgusting, hideous, ghastly, grim"), Middle High German vālant ("imp"). See felon.
Perhaps from Latin fel ("gall, poison, bitterness"), or more probably from the adjective above.
Modern English dictionary
Explore and search massive catalog of over 900,000 word meanings.
Word of the Day
Get a curated memorable word every day.
Challenge yourself
Level up your vocabulary by setting personal goals.