An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Aal

by Friedrich Kluge

Aal, m., ‘eel,’ from the equiv. MidHG. OHG. âl, m., a term common to the Teutonic dialects; comp. OIc. âll, AS. œ̂l, E. eel, Du. aal (allied perhaps to Alant i.). No original affinity to the equiv. Lat. anguilla, Gr. ἔγχελυς, is possible, for the sounds of the Teut. words differ too much from it; even from *anglu-, OHG. âl or AS. œ̂l could not be derived. Besides, there is no hereditary stock of names of fishes possessed in common by Teut. and Gr. and Lat. (see Fisch). —