wassail
Syllabification: (was·sail)
Pronunciation: /ˈwäsəl, -ˌsāl/
archaic
Definition of wassail
noun
verb
Origin:
Middle English wæs hæil 'be in (good) health!': from Old Norse ves heill (compare with hail2). The drinking formula wassail (and the reply drinkhail 'drink good health') were probably introduced by Danish-speaking inhabitants of England, and then spread, so that by the 12th century the usage was considered by the Normans to be characteristic of Englishmen
