Hammel

From Middle High German hamel, from Old High German hamal (“wether”, also an adjective “castrated”), from Proto-Germanic *hamalaz (“mutilated”). Cognate with Dutch hamel.

• IPA^(key): /ˈhaməl/

• Audio:

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Hammel m (strong, genitive Hammels, plural Hammel or Hämmel)

1. wether (castrated ram)
2. Short for Hammelfleisch: the meat of a wether used for food; mutton
3. jackass (person)

• The plural is usually unchanged. The form Hämmel was fairly common in the 19th century, but is now rare.

• (wether): kastrierter / verschnittener Schafbock (Schafsbock); Schöps (Austria; eastern Germany)
• (Hammelfleisch): Schöpsernes (Austrian); Schöpsenfleisch (Austria; eastern Germany)

• Hämling

• “Hammel” in Duden online
• “Hammel” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Probably inherited from Old High German hamal, though the modern Luxembourgish form is based on German Hammel; the native equivalent would be *Hummel. The word was rare because the area has very little tradition in sheep farming.

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɑməl/

Hammel m (plural Hämmel)

1. wether, castrated ram

• Hämmelfleesch

Compare German Hammel, Dutch hamel.

Hammel m (plural Hammel)

1. wether, castrated ram

• IPA^(key):

Hammel m pers (female equivalent Hammelová)

1. a male surname

• “Hammel”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2025