English word origin

Etymology of broil

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

noun

Food prepared by broiling.

verb

To cook by direct, radiant heat. · To expose to great heat. · To be exposed to great heat.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English broylen, brulen (“to broil, cook”), from Anglo-Norman bruiller, broiller (“to broil, roast”), Old French brusler, bruller (“to broil, roast, char”), a blend of two Old French verbs: * bruir (“to burn”), from Frankish *brōjan (“to burn, scald”) * usler (“to scorch”), from Latin ustulō (“to scorch”)

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Root classification mention*h₁ews-ine-pro
Root classification mention*bʰrewh₁-ine-pro
Inherited-form mentionbroylenenm
Derivation mentionbruslerfro
Derivation mentionustulōla · to scorch

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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        "3": "*h₁ews-",
        "4": "*bʰrewh₁-"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
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      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
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        "3": "broylen"
      },
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    },
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    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "ustulō",
        "t": "to scorch"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin ustulō (“to scorch”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "broylen",
      "broylen#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "brulen",
      "brulen#Middle_English"
    ],
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      "bruiller",
      "bruiller#Old_French"
    ],
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      "broiller",
      "broiller#Old_French"
    ],
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      "brusler",
      "brusler#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "bruller",
      "bruller#Old_French"
    ],
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      "bruir",
      "bruir#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "*brōjan",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/brōan"
    ],
    [
      "usler",
      "usler#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "ustulō",
      "ustulo#Latin"
    ]
  ],
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      "glosses": [
        "Food prepared by broiling."
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        "To cook by direct, radiant heat.",
        "To expose to great heat.",
        "To be exposed to great heat."
      ],
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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

verb

To cause a rowdy disturbance; embroil. · To brawl.

noun

A brawl; a rowdy disturbance.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English broilen (“to quarrel, present in disorder”), from Anglo-Norman broiller (“to mix up”), from Vulgar Latin *brodiculāre (“to jumble together”) from *brodum (“broth, stew”), from Frankish *broþ (“broth”), from Proto-Germanic *bruþą (“broth”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Root classification mention*bʰrewh₁-ine-pro
Inherited-form mentionbroilenenm · to quarrel, present in disorder
Derivation mention*bruþągem-pro · broth

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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    },
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    ]
  ],
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for broil →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-YnJvaWw