NYT Dictionary

CURL

/kɜɹl/
NounVerbKUHRLGrade 9

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026

Meaning

A curving piece or lock of hair; a ringlet.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

From metathesis of Middle English crulle (“curled, curly”), of uncertain origin but probably from an unrecorded Old English word or from Middle Dutch crul, crulle (“curl”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *kruzlǭ (“bent or crooked object, curl”), connected to *krūsą (“curl”), of unknown origin. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Krulle (“curl, lock”), West Frisian krul (“curl”), Dutch krul (“curl”), German Low German Krull (“curl”), dialectal German Krolle (“curl”), Danish krølle (“curl”), Norwegian Bokmål krøll (“curl”). Related also to Saterland Frisian Kruus (“curl”), German kraus (“frizzy, crumpled, curly”), Danish krus (“curl”), Swedish krusa (“to crimp, curl”). Compare also Gothic 𐌺𐍂𐌹𐌿𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌽 (kriustan, “to grind, crush, gnash”).

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

ringletcurlicuecurveflourishloopspiralmul:∇×archcoilroll up

Antonyms

extensionstraightenuncoilunroll

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 4 recorded puzzles:

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