Etymology: Origin uncertain. Probably either (i) < Middle Low German kringel, krengel circle, ring, ring-shaped strip or band, ring-shaped pastry, pretzel (German regional (Low German) Kringel circle, ring, ring-shaped pastry, pretzel, (Rhineland also) loop forming in an overtwisted thread or rope, tangle, ball of yarn: see further below), or either (ii) the reflex of a borrowing < early Scandinavian or (iii) a later borrowing < a Scandinavian language: compare Old Icelandic kringla disc, circle, orb, Old Swedish kringla ring, circle, a set length of bast, yarn, or similar twisted into a ring as a unit for trade (Swedish kringla ring, ring-shaped pastry, a set length of bast, yarn, or similar twisted into a ring), and compare also (in compounds) Old Swedish kringil- (Swedish kringel- , krinkel- ), Danish kringle ring, bend, ring-shaped pastry, ring-shaped item, a set length of bast, yarn, or similar twisted into a ring (in early modern Danish as kringlæ ). Alternatively, it is perhaps possible that the English word simply shows (iv) a variant of crinkle n.¹ Middle Low German kringel , krengel is < krinc , kring circle, ring (German regional (Low German: western) Kring , (northern) Krink ; apparently < an ablaut variant of the Germanic base of crank n.¹, perhaps subsequently influenced by the respective cognates of ring n.¹) + -el -el suffix¹; Old Icelandic kringla and its cognates are apparently similarly derived < Old Icelandic kringr and its cognates in other Scandinavian languages (cognate with Middle Low German krinc, kring (see above), and also with Middle Dutch crinc, cring (Dutch kring), Middle High German krinc (German regional (northern and central) Kring)).Compare also Middle High German kringel , krengel circle, ring, ring-shaped pastry, pretzel (German (colloquial) Kringel ). Probably more distantly related words ultimately < the same base are: Middle Dutch crinkel small bend, fold, crease (Dutch krinkel twist, coil), Middle Dutch crinkelen to put in a circle, to curl (Dutch krinkelen to crinkle), German regional (Low German: Rhineland) Krinkel single curl of hair, curling part of a vine or a beanstalk), and also ( < Dutch) Danish krinkel bend, curve. With these compare also crinkle v.¹, crinkle n.¹ Compare also Middle Low German krunke wrinkle crease (compare German regional (Low German) Krünkel ), krunkelen to crumple (compare German regional (Low German) krünkeln ). Compare also Scots kringle (Shetland) metal loop in a rope used for carrying straw, hay, etc., wooden swivel on an animal's tether, (Orkney) bend, curve (in kringle-horned ), round cushion made of twisted straw or heather, ring-shaped bread or cake (more fully kringle-bread ) < the unattested Norn reflex of the early Scandinavian word represented by Old Icelandic kringla (see above). With sense 2 compare crinkle n.¹, of which this sense may simply show a variant. Perhaps compare the place-name element cringle , used to denote anything of a roughly circular or rounded shape, e.g. the circular sweep or winding course of a river or dyke, a round hill, etc.; it is attested in several place names from northern and eastern England, and probably reflects a borrowing of the early Scandinavian word represented by Old Icelandic kringla (see above); compare: Kringelforda , Norfolk (1086; now Cringleford), Krinkelker , North Riding, Yorkshire (1212; now Cringle Carr), Cringeldick , Cumberland (1227; now Crindledyke), Cryngelflath , North Riding, Yorkshire (1232; now lost), Cringledikes , East Riding, Yorkshire (c1280), Cringlewayth , Cumberland (1294; now Cringlethwaite Terrace, Egremont), Kryngelbroke , Lancashire (1322; now Cringlebrook), etc. With some of these forms perhaps compare also crinkle n.¹, crinkle v.¹

Etymology: In Orkney and Shetland use probably (i) < the unattested Norn cognate of Norwegian kringle to place in or form a circle, to encircle, to roll up, Swedish regional kringla (reflexive) to bend, bow, to coil, curl up, to twist, wind, Danish kringle to place in or form a circle, (reflexive) to coil, curl up, to twist, wind < the same Scandinavian base as Old Icelandic kringla circle (see cringle n.). In English regional use probably (ii) the reflex of a borrowing of the early Scandinavian word represented by the Scandinavian forms listed above. In sense 1b probably directly (iii) < cringle n. (compare cringle n. 1b). With sense 2 compare earlier cringle-crangle n. and adj. and the place-name element cringle discussed at cringle n.