# Gaul
## English
### Etymology 1

Borrowed from French Gaule (“Gaul”), from Middle French Gaule (“Gaul”), from Old French Gaule, Waulle (“Gaul”, a term used to translate unrelated Latin Gallia (“Gaul”)), from Frankish *Walha(land) (“Gaul, Land of the Romans, foreigners”), from Proto-West Germanic *walh (“foreigner, Roman, Celt”), from Proto-Germanic *walhaz (“an outlander, foreigner, Celt”), probably of Celtic origin, from the same source as Latin Volcae (name of a Celtic tribe in South Germany, which later emigrated to Gaul).
Akin to Old High German Walh, Walah (“a Celt, Roman, Gaul”), Old English Wealh, Walh (“a non-Germanic foreigner, Celt/Briton/Welshman”), Old Norse Valir (“Gauls, Frenchmen”). More at Wales/Welsh, Cornwall, Walloon, and Vlach/Wallachia.
Despite their similar appearance, Latin Gallia is not the origin of French Gaule. During the evolution from Latin to French, stressed initial /ˈɡa-/ yielded /dʒa/ > /ʒa/ (cf. Latin gamba > French jambe), while unstressed final /-lia/ yielded /ʎə/ > /j/ (cf. Latin filia > French fille). Thus, the regular outcome of Latin Gallia is /ʒaj/ ⟨Jaille⟩, which is attested in several French toponyms: La Jaille-Yvon, Saint-Mars-la-Jaille, etc.

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ɡɔːl/
** Audio (Southern England):(file)
* (cot–caught merger) IPA: /ɡɑl/
* Rhymes: -ɔːl
* Homophone: gall

#### Proper noun

Gaul
* (chiefly historical) A historical region roughly corresponding to modern France, Luxembourg, Belgium, most of Switzerland, and parts of Northern Italy (Lombardy), the Netherlands, and Germany west of the Rhine.
    Hypernyms: (historical) Celtic Gaul, Belgic Gaul, Aquitaine, Cisalpine Gaul, Transalpine Gaul, Gallia Narbonensis

##### Translations
### Etymology 2

From Middle English Gall, from Latin Gallus. The change in spelling is due to the influence of the place-name Gaul, which is thought to be etymologically unrelated (see above).

#### Noun

Gaul (plural Gauls)
* A person from Gaul.

##### Related terms

* Gaulish
* Gallic

##### Translations
### Anagrams

* Agul, Gula, gula, ugal

## German
### Etymology

From Middle High German gūl, of obscure ultimate origin, but possibly ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *geutan (“to pour, cast”), referring to a powerful male horse, a "seed-pouring animal." Cognate with Dutch guil (“old horse”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ɡaʊl/
* Audio:(file)

### Noun

Gaul m (strong, genitive Gaules or Gauls, plural Gäule)
* (regional) horse
* (more widespread) hack, nag (bad, old or incapable horse)
    Synonym: Klepper

#### Declension

$^1$Now rare, see notes.

#### Derived terms

* einem geschenkten Gaul schaut man nicht ins Maul

### References

* ↑ J. de Vries (1971), Nederlands Etymologisch Woordenboek, Leiden

### Further reading

* “Gaul” in Duden online
* “Gaul” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

## Hunsrik
### Alternative forms

* kaul (Wiesemann spelling system)

### Etymology

From Middle High German gūl, of obscure ultimate origin, but possibly ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *geutan (“to pour, cast”), referring to a powerful male horse, a "seed-pouring animal." Cognate with German Gaul.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /kaʊ̯l/

### Noun

Gaul m (plural Geil, diminutive Geilche)
* horse
    Die Geil sin schnell.The horses are fast.

### Further reading

* Online Hunsrik Dictionary

## Pennsylvania German
### Etymology

From Middle High German gūl, of obscure ultimate origin, but possibly ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *geutan (“to pour, cast”), referring to a powerful male horse, a "seed-pouring animal." Cognate with German Gaul, Middle Low German gûl, and Dutch guil (“old horse”).

### Noun

Gaul m (plural Geil)
* horse

## Plautdietsch
### Etymology

From Middle Low German galle, from Old Saxon galla, from Proto-West Germanic *gallā, from Proto-Germanic *gallǭ.

### Noun

Gaul f (plural Gaule)
* gall, bile