Snoopy's Pedigree: The Etymology of Beagle

Sayers discusses the etymology of the word "beagle". The term first appeared in English letters in 1475, referring to a small hound used in hunting hares. The origin of the word is considered obscure, with possibilities including a French loanword meaning "open throat" or a Celti...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:ANQ (Lexington, Ky.) Ky.), 2024-04, Vol.37 (2), p.157-158
Main Author: Sayers, William
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
British English
Celtic languages
English language
Etymology
French language
Hunting
Loanwords
Middle English
Nobility
Old Norse
Suffixes
Word meaning
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Summary:Sayers discusses the etymology of the word "beagle". The term first appeared in English letters in 1475, referring to a small hound used in hunting hares. The origin of the word is considered obscure, with possibilities including a French loanword meaning "open throat" or a Celtic language term for a small hunting dog. He also discusses the linguistic connections between the Old Norse words "rakki" and "tik," which influenced the development of the names "rache" and "tyke" in Middle English. He suggests that the term "beagle" may have evolved from the Old Norse word "bikkja," possibly through the addition of the English suffix "-le." He also highlights the cultural and economic significance of hunting dogs in medieval England and their association with the aristocracy.
ISSN:0895-769X
1940-3364
DOI:10.1080/0895769X.2021.1940817