-els

-els

1. postpositive form of els

• IPA^(key): /ɛl/

-els m pl

1. plural of -el; masculine plural of -elle; masculine of -elles;

• -else
• -elsch
• -sel
• -el

• IPA^(key): /əlsə/, [əlts], [əlz]

-els n

1. alternative form of -else

• Some dictionaries whose authors lack knowledge of Middle Low German or southern Low German dialects (i.e. do not know about the original form -else) might mistake this ending as having a plural -s and thus either create a pseudo-singular or mistake it for a plurale tantum.
• Some words might show a variant form which is not in general use, like -elsch or -sel. For example, the word Schüddels is more commonly found as Schüddelsch, and the word Fegels has nearly disappeared and gave place to its variant Feegsel.

• -eles, -elis, -ils, -les, -lis, -lys
• -illis (Early Scots)

From Old English -els^[1] (also -else), a metathetic form of Proto-West Germanic *-isl, *-islī, from Proto-Germanic *-slą + *-ī.

The development of an inorganic vowel between the /l/ and /s/ is already found in Old English; such forms become predominant in Early Middle English (e.g. burieles 'burial'), meaning that later Middle English forms in -els probably at least partially represent syncope of this vowel rather than a direct continuation of Old English -els. Furthermore, nouns bearing this suffix are displaced by parallel formations in -el as the Middle English period progresses, as the /s/ is reinterpreted as the plural suffix -es.^[2][3]

• IPA^(key): /-əls(ə)/, /-(ə)ləs/ (with epenthetic vowel)

-els

1. (chiefly unproductive) suffix creating nouns denoting events, instruments, or places from verbs

• (English: -al, -le, -l in burial, riddle, bail)
• Middle Scots: -illis
  • (Scots: -al, -le)

A metathetic form of Proto-West Germanic *-islī.

• IPA^(key): /els/, [eɫs]

-els m

1. (masculine suffix for inanimate objects) suffix creating nouns from verbs

   rǣdels ― guess, advice, riddle

   rēcels ― incense, frankincense

   miercels ― mark, sign, aim, marked spot

   wǣfels ― covering, cloak, garment

   byrgels ― burial, sepulchre, tomb

Strong a-stem:

• -else

• Middle English: -els, -eles, -elis, -ils, -les, -lis, -lys, -illis (Early Scots)
  • (English: -al, -le, -l in burial, riddle, bail)
  • Middle Scots: -illis
    • (Scots: -al, -le)