The word 'squelch' is a vivid example of onomatopoeia, a linguistic process where a word's sound imitates the natural noise associated with its meaning. First appearing in English in the early 17th century, it was coined to replicate the soft, wet, sucking sound produced by walking in mud or crushing something soft and juicy. This direct sensory link explains its core meaning. Over time, its usage expanded metaphorically, applying the concept of a crushing, suppressing sound to abstract contexts, such as forcefully silencing criticism or suppressing an uprising, thereby adding a layer of figurative meaning to its originally literal sound.

The word 'squelch' is considered a simplex, likely of imitative origin. It is an onomatopoeic formation meant to imitate the sound it describes.