Bevil

/ˈbɛvɪl/ noun

Definition

A variant or alternative spelling of bevel; a sloping edge or angle that is not a right angle.

Etymology

Variant spelling of 'bevel,' which comes from Old French 'bevel' or 'bivet,' possibly from a root meaning 'open-mouthed.' The term originally described any angle or slope in masonry and carpentry.

Kelly Says

Medieval English had tons of variant spellings—there was no standardized spelling yet—so 'bevil' and 'bevel' coexisted. This is why old documents look chaotic to us; people spelled phonetically based on their own accent!

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