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offal

/ˈɒf.əl/·noun·14th century·Established

Origin

Offal literally means 'off-fall' — the parts that fall off a carcass during butchering, a compound s‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‍​‌​‌​‍​‌hared across Germanic languages.

Definition

The internal organs and entrails of an animal, used as food; also, refuse or waste material.‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‍​‌​‌​‍​‌

Did you know?

German Abfall and Dutch afval are exact structural parallels of English offal — all three languages independently built the same compound from 'off' + 'fall.' But while the continental words now primarily mean household rubbish, English offal kept its grisly butchery connection.

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Etymology

Middle English14th centurywell-attested

From Middle English offal, a compound of 'off' and 'fall' — literally what falls off during butchering. The word referred to the parts that dropped away from the carcass when it was cut up: the organs, head, tail, and feet. In Middle Dutch, the parallel form afval carried the same meaning. Over time, English broadened offal to mean any kind of refuse or waste, though the butchery sense has remained primary. Key roots: of (Middle English: "off, away"), fall (Middle English: "to fall, to drop").

Ancient Roots

of (Middle English: “off, away”)fall (Middle English: “to fall, to drop”)

This Word in Other Languages

Abfall(German)afval(Dutch)avfall(Swedish)

Offal traces back to Middle English of, meaning "off, away", with related forms in Middle English fall ("to fall, to drop"). Across languages it shares form or sense with German Abfall, Dutch afval and Swedish avfall, evidence of a shared etymological family.

Connections

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See also

offal on Merriam-Webstermerriam-webster.com
offal on Wiktionaryen.wiktionary.org
Proto-Indo-European rootsproto-indo-european.org

Background

The Etymology of Offal

Offal is one of those rare words whose etymology is completely transparent once you see it: off + fall.‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‍​‌​‌​‍​‌ It names what falls off the carcass when a butcher works — the liver, kidneys, heart, and other organs that drop away from the main cuts of meat. The compound appears in Middle English by the 14th century, likely influenced by Middle Dutch afval, which carried the identical meaning. German Abfall and Swedish avfall mirror the same construction, though both have drifted toward meaning ordinary household waste. English offal kept closer to the abattoir. The word acquired a secondary sense of 'refuse' or 'rubbish' by the 16th century, which Shakespeare used metaphorically, but its primary association with organ meats has persisted in British English especially.

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