Wal

Wal (plural Wals)

1. A male given name
   1. A diminutive of the male given name Wally
   2. A diminutive of the male given name Wallace
   3. A diminutive of the male given name Walter

From Middle High German and Old High German wal, from Proto-West Germanic *hwal, from Proto-Germanic *hwalaz, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kʷálos (“sheatfish”). Cognate with English whale, Danish hval, Swedish val.

In earlier Modern German the word was exclusively used in Walfisch and other compounds like Narwal. Compare Dutch walvis, Low German Waalfisch. The simplex reappeared in the 19th century, at first in scientific literature.

• IPA^(key): /vaːl/

• audio

  (file)

• Homophone: Wahl
• Rhymes: -aːl

Wal m (strong, genitive Wales or Wals, plural Wale)

1. whale

   Synonym: (dated) Walfisch

• “Wal” in Duden online
• “Wal” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

• IPA^(key): /vaːl/
• Rhymes: -aːl

From German Wal, from Old High German wal, from Proto-West Germanic *hwal, from Proto-Germanic *hwalaz. Compare Dutch walvis, English whale, Danish hval, Icelandic hvalur.

Wal m (plural Walen)

1. whale

From German Wahl, from Old High German wala, from Proto-West Germanic *walu, from Proto-Germanic *walō. The related terms below are inherited.

• Wahl (nonstandard, but sometimes used to distinguish from etymology 1)

Wal f (plural Walen)

1. (politics) election

• Wiel
• wielen

From Old High German wald, from Proto-West Germanic *walþu, from Proto-Germanic *walþuz. Cognate with German Wald, Dutch woud, English wold.

Wal m (uncountable)

1. (in field names, otherwise obsolete) forest

   Synonym: Bësch

Wal f (plural Walen)

1. wave (of water)