cuttle

English

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈkʌtəl/
Audio (Southern England): (file)

Etymology 1

From Middle English cutil, codel, codul, from Old English cudele (“cuttlefish”), a diminutive from Proto-Germanic *kudulǭ, from Proto-Germanic *kuddô + -ulǭ, from Proto-Indo-European *gewt- (“pouch, sack”), from *gew- (“to bend, bow, arch, vault, curve”). Equivalent to cod +‎ -le (diminutive suffix). Compare dialectal German Kudele (“cuttlefish”), Norwegian kaule (“cuttlefish”).

Noun

cuttle (plural cuttles)

Synonym of cuttlefish.

Derived terms

cuttlebone

Etymology 2

From Middle English coutel, from Old French coutel, coltel, cultel, from Latin cultellus. Doublet of couteau. See cutlass.

Noun

cuttle (plural cuttles)

(obsolete) A knife.
- 1546, John Bale, The Actes of Englysh Votaries:
  a sharpe cuttle

Etymology 3

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

cuttle (plural cuttles)

(obsolete) A foul-mouthed fellow.
- c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]:
  An you play the saucy cuttle me.

References

“cuttle”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Anagrams

cutlet