spel

• IPA^(key): /spɛl/

From Dutch spel, from Middle Dutch spel.

spel (plural spele)

1. game, play

From Dutch spellen, from Middle Dutch spellen, from Old Dutch *spellon, from Proto-Germanic *spellōną.

spel (present spel, present participle spellende, past participle gespel)

1. (transitive) to spell

• spelu, aspel, aspelu

From a Vulgar Latin root *experlavō, from Late Latin perlavō, from Latin lavō (“to wash”). Compare Romanian spăla, spăl, and also Albanian shpëlaj.

spel first-singular present indicative (third-person singular present indicative spealã, past participle spilatã)

1. to wash
2. (reflexive, mi-spel) to wash oneself

• spilari / spilare
• spilat
• lau

• Audio:

  (file)

• IPA^(key): /spɛl/
• Hyphenation: spel
• Rhymes: -ɛl

From Middle Dutch spel, from Old Dutch *spil, from Proto-West Germanic *spil.

spel n (plural spellen or spelen, diminutive spelletje n or speeltje n)

1. game
2. playing (e.g. of a musical instrument)

• The plural form spellen is used referring to
  • several repetitions of one kind of game (sets, rounds, matches)

  Na enkele denkspellen gespeeld te hebben, kon hij niet meer helder nadenken. – After having played a few thinking games he could no longer think clearly.

  • the physical accessories needed for particular games

  Ik heb thuis drie gezelschapspellen liggen. – I have three board games at home.

• The plural form spelen is used referring to
  • different kinds of games

  Speel je graag gezelschapspelen? – Do you like to play board games?

  Hij blinkt uit in denkspelen. – He excels at thinking games.

• The diminutive spelletje is standard. The diminutive speeltje has taken on a meaning of its own and is no longer used as a regular diminutive of spel in contemporary Dutch.

• spelen

• Afrikaans: spel

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

spel

1. inflection of spellen:
   1. first-person singular present indicative
   2. (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
   3. imperative

From a Vulgar Latin root *experlavō, from Late Latin perlavō, from Latin lavō (“I wash”). Compare Aromanian aspel, Romanian spăla, spăl.

spel

1. I wash.

• spilari

From the verbs spela and spele, from Middle Low German spil (“noun”), spelen (“verb”).

spel n (definite singular spelet, indefinite plural spel, definite plural spela)

1. a game
2. play, playing

• puslespel
• samspel

spel

1. imperative of spela

• spill (Bokmål)

• “spel” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

• IPA^(key): /spel/

spel n

1. alternative form of spell

Strong a-stem:

From Old Swedish spil, from Middle Low German spil and Old Saxon spil, from Proto-West Germanic *spil.

• IPA^(key): /speːl/

• Audio:

  (file)

spel n

1. a play, a game; a person's or animal's happy, joyous movement or entertainment; activity for amusement only; a pursuit or activity with rules performed either alone or with others, for the purpose of entertainment

   lek och spel

   fun and games

   orrarnas spel

   the courtship game of the grouse

2. the accessories used for an entertaining or amusing pursuit; such as a board game
3. an instance of gambling
4. acting; the performance of an actor in a work of drama
5. play, playing; the performance of someone who plays something, such as a musician, a sportsman or player of games
6. play, slack; the unwanted movement of a mechanical part e.g. due to not being fastened or tightened sufficiently
7. (chiefly in compounds) a rapid switching between different things

• → Finnish: peli
• → Ingrian: peli

Old Swedish spill, from Middle Low German spille, from Old Saxon spinnila, from Proto-West Germanic *spinnilu, cognate with German Spindel and English spindle.

With time, the Swedish word has adopted the declension pattern of spel in Etymology 1. Note that spindel is also a Swedish word.

spel n

1. a winch

• vinda
• vinsch

• spel in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• spel in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• spel in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)

• pels

• IPA^(key): /spel/

spel (nominative plural spels)

1. hope