Etymograph

English

saurel

Saurel comes from French saurel ‘jack mackerel’, and goes back to Ancient Greek σαύρα ‘lizard’.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσαύρα1saúra‘lizard’
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσαῦρος2saûros‘horse mackerel’
  3. Frenchc. 1600–presentsaurel2‘jack mackerel’
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1985saurel2

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek σαῦρος
  2. 2 Wiktionary, English saurel
  3. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1985, Barbara C. Cleveland, Adjustments to Changes in Fisheries Law and Economics: “In general, while the consumption of fresh fish is…”.

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσαύραWiktionary, Ancient Greek σαῦροςsaúra‘lizard’
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσαῦροςWiktionary, English saurelsaûros‘horse mackerel’
  3. Frenchc. 1600–presentsaurelWiktionary, English saurel‘jack mackerel’
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1985saurelWiktionary, English saurel. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1985, Barbara C. Cleveland, Adjustments to Changes in Fisheries Law and Economics: “In general, while the consumption of fresh fish is…”

Every English word from Ancient Greek σαύρα

Today it means

noun Any carangoid fish of the genus Trachurus, especially Trachurus trachurus, of Europe and America, and Trachurus picturatus of California; the skipjack, scad or horse mackerel.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “saurel”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entry for Ancient Greek σαῦρος. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Ancient Greek σαύρα / saurel

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