Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 3 fenecel, 4 fenkil, 5 fenkylle, 4–6, 9 fenkel, 5–6 fenkell(e, 6 fynele, 6, 9 finckle, 6 finkil, 7–9 finkel, finkle. See also FENNEL. [ME. fenecel, ad. L. fæeniculum: see FENNEL. The immediate source may be continental Teut.; cf. Du. venkel, OHG. fenachal, finachal, mod. Ger. fenchel.] = FENNEL 1.

1

c. 1265.  Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 556. Feniculum, fenecel.

2

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 155/2. Fenkylle, feniculum.

3

1567.  J. Maplet, A Greene Forest, or a Naturall Historie, 42. Fenkell is an Herbe of the Gardaine and fielde common to them both.

4

1659.  Rowbotham, Gate Lang. Unl., xii. § 132. These are spices; Pepper … fenil, or finkel, thyme.

5

1883.  Almondbury Gloss., Finkel, fennel.

6

  attrib.  c. 1330.  Med. MS., in Archæol., XXX. 351.

        To take ye jus of fenkel rote
And droppyn in ye eyne bothe ewe & morwe.

7

1362.  Langl., P. Pl., A. V. 156. A Ferþing-worþ of Fenel-seed · for þis Fastyng dayes. [v.r. fenkil seed].

8