What's In A Name: Beagle

The exact origins of the word "beagle" are a bit mysterious.
Beagle

The etymology of the name has been traced back to several possible options which include the French begueuleor “open throat” which is a combination of the two French words bayeror “open wide” and gueuleor “mouth”; the word beag which can be found in Old English, Gaelic and French and means “little”; the French word beugler which means “to bellow” and the German word begele which means “to scold”. These myriad options paint a very vivid picture as to how the dog was seen back then and its origins; unfortunately, the actual origin of its name is still unsure. The American Kennel Club traces the name back to the 16th century, when the hounds became associated with the French word becguele ("noisy person") thanks to the din of their howls during hunts.

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