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Added 9 October 2026

rail

/ɹeɪ(ə)l/ noun

In Latin: rallus Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about rail at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports.
Short for railway.
he traveled by rail
A bar or pair of parallel bars of rolled steel making the railway along which railroad cars or other vehicles can roll.

verb

Complain bitterly.
Enclose with rails.
rail in the old graves
Provide with rails.
The yard was railed

Origin

From Middle English rail, rayl, *reȝel, *reȝol (found in reȝolsticke (“a ruler”)), partly from Old English regol (“a ruler, straight bar”) and partly from Old French reille; both from Latin regula (“rule, bar”), from regō (“to rule, to guide, to govern”); see regular. Doublet of regal, regula, rigol, and rule.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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