different between spettle vs spittle

English

Noun

spettle (uncountable)

1. (obsolete) Spittle.
   • 1661, Thomas Blount, Glossographia, or, A dictionary interpreting all such hard words of whatsoever language now used in our refined English tongue, 2nd ed., George Sawbridge (London),

     Salivation (salivatio) a continual having of much spettle in the mouth.

Derived terms

• spettly

References

• Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., 1989.

Anagrams

• pettles

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?sp?.t(?)l/
• Rhymes: -?t?l

Etymology 1

Alteration of dialectal spattle (by association with spit (noun)), from Old English sp?tl, which is related to sp?tan (whence spit (verb)).

Noun

spittle (countable and uncountable, plural spittles)

1. Spit, usually frothy and of a milky coloration.
2. Something frothy and white that resembles spit.
3. Spit-up or drool of an infant.

Derived terms

• lickspittle
• spittly

Translations

Etymology 2

Noun

spittle (countable and uncountable, plural spittles)

1. (now archaic) Alternative form of spital
   • a. 1633, George Herbert, The Thanksgiving:

     I'll build a spittle, or mend common ways […]

Etymology 3

Representing a frequentative form of spit (“a spade's depth”), equivalent to spit +? -le.

Noun

spittle (countable and uncountable, plural spittles)

1. A small sort of spade.

Verb

spittle (third-person singular simple present spittles, present participle spittling, simple past and past participle spittled)

1. To dig or stir with a small spade.

Anagrams

• pittles