æþele

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Old English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *aþuli, from Proto-Germanic *aþulijaz. Cognate with Old High German adal (German edel), Old Norse aðall.

Pronunciation

Adjective

æþele (superlative æþelest or æþelust or æþelast)

  1. noble
    • c. 800, Ruthwell Cross:
      ᛣᚱᛁᛋᛏᚹᚫᛋᚩᚾᚱᚩᛞᛁᚻᚹᛖᚦᚱᚫᚦᛖᚱᚠᚢᛋᚫᚠᛠᚱᚱᚪᚾᛣᚹᚩᛗᚢᚫᚦᚦᛁᛚᚫᛏᛁᛚᚪᚾᚢᛗ
      Krist wæs on rōdi, hweþræ þēr fūsæ fearran kwōmu æþþilæ til ānum.
      Christ was on the cross, yet there in haste from afar came noble men unto him.
    • late 9th century, translation of Bede's Ecclesiastical History
      Đyssum tidum Ongolcyningas þā æðelestan Ōswēo Norðanhymbra cyning ⁊ Eċġberht Contwarena cyning hæfdon betwēoh him sprǣċe ⁊ ġeþēahte, hwæt tō donne wǣre bī þǣm stealle Ongolcynnes ċiriċan .
      At this time the most noble English kings, Oswiu of Northumbria and Ecgberht of Kent, held a discussion and conference between them about what was to be done about the state of the English church.

Declension

Derived terms

Derived names

Descendants

  • Middle English: athel