kind of small falcon, windhover, c. 1600, earlier

castrell

(15c.), probably from Old French

cresserele

(13c.), earlier

cercelle

(Modern French

crécelle

), a word of obscure origin. Perhaps it is related to French

crecerelle

"rattle," from Latin

crepitacillium

"small rattle," diminutive of

crepitaculum

"noisy bell, rattle," from

crepitare

"to crackle, rattle;" possibly from the old belief that their noise frightened away other hawks. The unetymological

-t-

probably developed in French.