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sorrel

1
[ sawr-uhl, sor- ]
/ ˈsɔr əl, ˈsɒr- /
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noun
light reddish-brown.
a horse of this color, often with a light-colored mane and tail.
adjective
of the color sorrel.
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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. 2022

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
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