carl (n.)

c. 1300, "bondsman; common man, man of low birth," from Old Norse karl "man" (as opposed to "woman"), "male, freeman," from Proto-Germanic *karlon- (source also of Dutch karel "a fellow," Old High German karl "a man, husband"). The same Proto-Germanic source produced Old English ceorl "man of low degree" (see churl) and the masc. proper name Carl and, via French and Latin, Charles.

The Mellere was a stout carle for the nones [Chaucer]

also from c. 1300

Carl

masc. proper name, from continental sources such as Danish Carl, Middle High German Karl, from the common noun meaning "man, husband" (see carl). The Carlists in 19c. Spain were partisans of Don Carlos de Borbon.

Entries linking to carl

Charles

masc. proper name, from French Charles, from Medieval Latin Carolus, from Middle High German Karl, literally "man, husband" (see carl).

churl (n.)

Old English ceorl "peasant, one of the lowest class of freemen, man without rank," from Proto-Germanic *kerlaz, *karlaz (source also of Old Frisian zerl "man, fellow," Middle Low German kerle, Dutch kerel "freeman of low degree," German Kerl "man, husband," Old Norse karl "old man, man").

It had various meaning in early Middle English, including "man of the common people," "a country man," "husbandman," "free peasant;" by 1300, it meant "bondman, villain," also "fellow of low birth or rude manners."

For words for "common man" that acquire an insulting flavor over time, compare boor, villain. In this case, however, the same word also has come to mean "king" in many languages (such as Lithuanian karalius, Czech kral, Polish król) via Charlemagne.

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Trends of carl

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.

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carol

c. 1300, "joyful song," also a kind of dance in a ring, from Old French carole "kind of dance in a ring, round dance accompanied by singers," a word of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Medieval Latin choraula "a dance to the flute," from Latin choraules "flute-player," from Greek k

extrovert

by doctors and scientists in various literal senses since 1600s, but popularized in a psychological sense early 20c. by Carl...

encounter

Modern use of the word in psychology is from 1967, from the work of U.S. psychologist Carl Rogers....

malic

The acid, discovered 1785 by Swedish/German chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele, was obtained from unripe apples and other fruits...

creosote

substance prepared from wood-tar, 1835, from German Kreosot, coined 1832 by its discoverer, German-born natural philosopher Carl...

praseodymium

rare metallic element, 1885, coined in Modern Latin by discoverer Carl Auer von Welsbach (1858-1929) from Greek prasios "...

corn-dog

Said to have been introduced by Vaudeville performers Neil and Carl Fletcher in 1942 at the Texas State Fair....

organization

early 15c., organisacioun, "structure of the body or its parts;" mid-15c., "act or process of organizing, the arranging of parts in an organic whole" from Medieval Latin organizationem (nominative organizatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of organizare, from Latin or

understand

Old English understandan "to comprehend, grasp the idea of, receive from a word or words or from a sign the idea it is intended to convey; to view in a certain way," probably literally "stand in the midst of," from under + standan "to stand" (see stand (v.)). If this is the meani

state

[mode or form of existence] c. 1200, stat, "circumstances, position in society, temporary attributes of a person or thing, conditions," from Old French estat "position, condition; status, stature, station," and directly from Latin status "a station, position, place; way of standi

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updated on September 10, 2022

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Dictionary entries near carl

Carinthia

carious

caritas

cark

carl

Carl

Carla

Carlisle

Carlos

Carlovingian

Carmel