squeal

/skwiːl/

squeal

English Noun Top 7,721

American (Lessac) (medium)

Female 0.7s

American (Amy) (medium)

Female 0.8s

American (Ryan) (medium)

Male 0.6s

Definition

A high-pitched sound, such as the scream of a child or a female person, or noisy worn-down brake pads.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English squelen, probably from Old Norse skvala (“to squeal, bawl”), from Proto-Germanic *skwel- (“to chatter, babble, scream”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *skel-, from *kelh₁- (“to ring, resound, cry”). Compare Old Norse skval (“a squeal”, noun), Swedish skvallra (“to babble, chatter, tell on”).