1
Stage 1 of 3
schnorcheln
German · early 1900s
"to snore, snuffle"
from Low German dialect words for snoring or snuffling, describing a rasping sound
2
Stage 2 of 3
Schnorchel
German · 1944
"a submarine's breathing/air tube"
German navy slang for the WWII U-boat airshaft, named for its snout-like shape and noise
3
Stage 3 of 3
snorkel
English · 1944 onward
"a tube for breathing while swimming just under the surface"
adopted by Allied forces, later applied to a swimmer's breathing tube
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