German

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Etymology

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15th century, from Middle Low German ēgelen, ēchelen, ēkelen. Further origin uncertain. Possibly from Proto-Germanic *aglijaną (whence English ail). The -k- then likely through influence of Middle Low German ēken, āken (to suppurate), from Proto-Germanic *akaną (whence English ache); compare Dutch akelig. An alternative theory sees in the now archaic adjective ekel a northern variant of heikel, but the association between both forms may be secondary.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈeːkəln/, [ˈeːkəln], [ˈeːkl̩n]
  • Audio:(file)

Verb

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ekeln (weak, third-person singular present ekelt, past tense ekelte, past participle geekelt, auxiliary haben)

  1. (reflexive, with vor) to be disgusted
    Ich ekle mich davor.
    I am disgusted by it.
  2. (more formal, transitive) to disgust
    Es ekelt mich.
    It disgusts me.

Conjugation

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Derived terms

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Further reading

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  • ekeln” in Duden online
  • ekeln” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache