sorrel

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   any of several plants with tart, acidic leaves, especially common sorrel of the dock family

   She added chopped sorrel to the soup for a sharp lemony flavor.

2. 2
   noun

   a light reddish-brown color, or a horse of that color

   The sorrel trotted across the paddock with its pale mane streaming.

3. 3
   adj

   light reddish-brown, especially in describing a horse

   A sorrel mare stood beside the gate.

Two Old French words converged in English. The plant name comes from surele, a diminutive of sur, 'sour,' referring to its tart leaves. The color and horse name come from sorel, a diminutive of sor, 'reddish-brown.' Both French bases are ultimately of Germanic origin.

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