Etymology Dictionary

TAFFEREL, TAFFRAIL,  the upper part of the stern of a ship.  (Du.,—L.)   'Tafferel, the uppermost part, frame, or rail of a ship behind, over the poop;' Phillips, ed. 1706,—Du. tafereel, a pannel, a picture; Hexham explains it by 'a painter's table or board,' and adds the dimin. tafereelken, 'a tablet, or a small board.'   The taffrail is so called because it is flat like a table on the top, and sometimes ornamented with carved work; cf. G. täfelei, boarded work, flooring, wainscoting.   β. The Du. tafer-eel stands for tafel-eel*, a dimin. from Du. tafel, a table; just as G. täfelei is from G. tafel, a table.   The Du. and G. tafel are not to be considered as Teut. words; the M. H. G. form is tavele, O. H. G. tavelá, borrowed from Lat. tabula, a table, just as O. H. G. taverná, a tavern, is from Lat. taberna.   See Table.   ¶ The spelling taffrail is prob. due to confusion with E. rail.