A narrow passageway or alley, especially one between buildings in British dialect, sometimes spelled 'ginnel' or 'ginnle'.
From Old English or Northern English dialect, possibly related to Old Norse origins. The word has regional variants ('ginnel,' 'ginnle,' 'jennel') and may derive from Scandinavian languages brought by Viking settlers.
The word 'ginnle' is a beautiful example of how regional British dialects preserve medieval and Viking-era vocabulary that's largely disappeared from standard English—some Northern English towns still call alleyways 'ginnles' today.
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