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swefn. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
swefn, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
swefn in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
swefn you have here. The definition of the word
swefn will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
swefn, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Old English
Etymology
From Proto-West Germanic *swefn, from Proto-Germanic *swefnaz (“sleep, dream”), from Proto-Indo-European *swépnos.
Cognate with Old Saxon sweƀan, Old Norse svefn. The Indo-European root also led to Ancient Greek ὕπνος (húpnos), Latin somnus, Old Irish suan, Old Church Slavonic сънъ (sŭnŭ), Lithuanian sãpnas.
Pronunciation
Noun
swefn n
- dream
Iċ ġefylde mīn swefn.- I fulfilled my dream.
Iċ nǣfre ne ġeman mīnra swefna.- I never remember my dreams.
Usage notes
- “To have a dream” is expressed with mǣtan (“to dream”), not habban (“to have”): Ġiestran niht mē mǣtte swefn þæt iċ wǣre fram wulfe forswolgen (“Last night I had a dream that I was devoured by a wolf”).
Declension
Strong a-stem:
Derived terms
Descendants
- Middle English: sweven, swevyn, swevon, swevene, swevne, swheven, squeven, sueven, seven, swene, swefen, suefen, sweoven
See also