rail 2 (r
āl)
n. Any of various marsh birds of the family Rallidae, found worldwide and characteristically having brownish plumage and short wings.
[Middle English rale, from Old French rasle, probably named for their harsh cries and from Old French *rasler, to make a harsh noise (attested in Middle French rasler, to haggle, bellow like a stag), akin to Old French rasclar, to harrow, rake, from Old Provençal rasclar; see RACLETTE.]