An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/gellen

by Friedrich Kluge

gellen, verb, ‘to yell,’ from Middle High German gëllen, Old High German gëllan, strong verb, ‘to sound loud, cry’; corresponding to Dutch gillen, Anglo-Saxon gillan, Old Icelandic gjalla, ‘to resound’; allied to the Teutonic root gel, gal, ‘to resound.’ Compare Nachtigall.