Etymograph

English

squall

Squall comes from Old Norse skvala ‘to cry out’.

  1. Old Norsec. 800–1350skvala1‘to cry out’
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500*squalen1reconstructed
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1810squall1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English squall
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1810, Jack and Jill, York: J. Kendrew: “Sow ran and squall'd, While Jack he bawl'd, And…”.

Lineage

  1. Old Norsec. 800–1350skvalaWiktionary, English squall‘to cry out’
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500*squalenWiktionary, English squallreconstructed
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1810squallWiktionary, English squall. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1810, Jack and Jill, York: J. Kendrew: “Sow ran and squall'd, While Jack he bawl'd, And…”

Linked words

through Old Norse skvala ‘to cry out’

squeal

Today it means

verb To cry or wail loudly.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “squall”. 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 / Old Norse skvala / squall

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