Dictionary.com

sorrel

1
[ sawr-uhl, sor- ]
/ ˈsɔr əl, ˈsɒr- /
Save This Word!
See synonyms for sorrel on Thesaurus.com
noun
light reddish-brown.
a horse of this color, often with a light-colored mane and tail.
adjective
of the color sorrel.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?
His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.
His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of sorrel

1
1400–50; late Middle English <Old French sorel, equivalent to sor brown (<Germanic ) + -el diminutive suffix; see -elle

Words nearby sorrel

sorority, sorority house, sorosilicate, sorosis, sorption, sorrel, sorrel salt, sorrel tree, Sorrentino, Sorrento, sorrow

Other definitions for sorrel (2 of 2)

sorrel2
[ sawr-uhl, sor- ]
/ ˈsɔr əl, ˈsɒr- /
noun
any of various plants belonging to the genus Rumex, of the buckwheat family, having edible acid leaves used in salads, sauces, etc.
any of various sour-juiced plants of the genus Oxalis.Compare wood sorrel.
any of various similar plants.

Origin of sorrel

2
1350–1400; Middle English sorell<Old French surele, equivalent to sursour (<Germanic; akin to Old High German sūr sour) + -el diminutive suffix; see -elle
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to sorrel

amber, bay, beige, bister, brick, bronze, buff, chestnut, chocolate, cinnamon, cocoa, coffee, copper, drab, dust, ecru, fawn, ginger, hazel, henna

How to use sorrel in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sorrel (1 of 2)

sorrel1
/ (ˈsɒrəl) /
noun
  1. a light brown to brownish-orange colour
  2. (as adjective)a sorrel carpet
a horse of this colour

Word Origin for sorrel

C15: from Old French sorel, from sor a reddish brown, of Germanic origin; related to Middle Dutch soor desiccated

British Dictionary definitions for sorrel (2 of 2)

sorrel2
/ (ˈsɒrəl) /
noun
any of several polygonaceous plants of the genus Rumex, esp R. acetosa, of Eurasia and North America, having acid-tasting leaves used in salads and saucesSee also dock 4, sheep sorrel
short for wood sorrel

Word Origin for sorrel

C14: from Old French surele, from sur sour, of Germanic origin; related to Old High German sūr sour
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
FEEDBACK