Corral and Kraal Are the Same Word
A corral is an enclosure for livestock. The word travelled from Portuguese to both Spanish America and southern Africa.
A corral is a pen for horses or cattle. The word reached English twice by different routes: through Spanish into American English as *corral*, and through Afrikaans into South African English as *kraal*, meaning a village or livestock enclosure. Both descend from the same Portuguese word, carried in opposite directions by empire.
- A livestock pen. *Drive them into the corral.*
- To herd or gather. *Corral the children.*
- To round up. *Corralled the votes.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | corral | A dusty corral. |
| Plural | corrals | Two corrals. |
| Verb | corral | Corral the horses. |
| Past | corralled | Corralled together. |
| Related | kraal | A cattle kraal. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The horses were corralled overnight.Livestock.
- He corralled the committee into agreeing.Figurative.
- The gunfight at the O.K. Corral.Tombstone, Arizona, 1881.
Words from Spanish in American English
- Corral — a livestock pen
- Ranch — from *rancho*
- Lasso — from *lazo*
- Stampede — from *estampida*
- Buckaroo — from *vaquero*, a cowherd
From Spanish *corral*, from Portuguese *curral*, an enclosure. The Afrikaans *kraal* descends from the same Portuguese word.
Are corral and kraal the same word?
Yes. Both come from Portuguese *curral*, reaching English through Spanish and Afrikaans respectively.
One R or two in corralled?
Two Ls in corralled and corralling. The base word has one R and two Ls only in its inflected forms.