russel

Old French roussel, from Latin russulus, diminutive of russus (“red”).

• Rhymes: -ʌsəl
• Homophones: rustle, Russel, Russell

russel (countable and uncountable, plural russels)

1. (countable, uncountable, historical) A twilled woolen material.
2. (countable, obsolete) A fox.
   • 1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Tale of the Nonnes Preest”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC, line 8:

     And dan ruſſel the fox stert up at onys
     And be gorget hent chanteclere
     And on his bake toward the wode him bere.

     And dan russel the fox started up at once
     And by the gorge seized Chanticleer
     And on his back toward the wood him bare.

• russel cord

• lusers