Old English words first recorded in the 9th century

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *all, from Proto-Germanic *allaz (“all, whole”). Its cognates are Gothic 𐌰𐌻𐌻𐍃 (alls), Old Norse allr, Old Frisian al, Old Saxon al and Old High German al…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *word, from Proto-Germanic *wurdą (“word”). The noun is found in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌳 (waurd), Old Norse orð, Old Frisian word, Old…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *ald, from Proto-Germanic *aldaz (“old, grown up”). The Proto-Germanic adjective is continued by Old Frisian ald, Old Saxon ald and Old High German alt…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *land, from Proto-Germanic *landą (“land”). The noun is shared by all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌻𐌰𐌽𐌳 (land), Old Norse land, Old Frisian land, Old…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *biddjan, from Proto-Germanic *bidjaną (“to ask, to pray”). Its cognates are Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (bidjan), Old Norse biðja, Old Frisian bidda, Old Saxon biddian…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *brūkan (“to enjoy, use”), from Proto-Germanic *brūkaną (“to make use of”). The strong verb is shared by Old Frisian brūka, Old Saxon brūkan and Old High…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *klainī, from Proto-Germanic *klainiz (“shining, fine, delicate”). The adjective is shared by Old Frisian klēne (“narrow, thin”), Old Saxon klēni (“slim…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *kunnan, from Proto-Germanic *kunnaną (“to know (how), be able”). It is a preterite-present verb in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌺𐌿𐌽𐌽𐌰𐌽 (kunnan)…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *kuni, from Proto-Germanic *kunją (“clan, kin”). The noun is shared by Gothic 𐌺𐌿𐌽𐌹 (kuni, “clan, tribe”), Old Norse kyn, Old Frisian kin, Old Saxon kunni…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *dag, from Proto-Germanic *dagaz (“day”). The noun is common to the Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌳𐌰𐌲𐍃 (dags), Old Norse dagr, Old Frisian dei, Old Saxon dag…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *feuwar, from Proto-Germanic *fedwōr (“four”). Its cognates are Gothic 𐍆𐌹𐌳𐍅𐍉𐍂 (fidwor), Old Norse fjórir, Old Frisian fiūwer, Old Saxon fiuwar and Old High…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fimf, from Proto-Germanic *fimf (“five”). The Germanic cognates are Gothic 𐍆𐌹𐌼𐍆 (fimf), Old Norse fimm, Old Frisian fīf, Old Saxon fīf and Old High German…

1. It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *full, from Proto-Germanic *fullaz (“full”). The adjective is shared by Gothic 𐍆𐌿𐌻𐌻𐍃 (fulls), Old Norse fullr, Old Frisian ful, Old Saxon ful and Old High…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *ik, from Proto-Germanic *ik, the unstressed form of *ek, from Proto-Indo-European *eǵh₂óm. The other Germanic languages have Gothic 𐌹𐌺 (ik), Old Norse ek…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *namō, from Proto-Germanic *namô (“name”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁nómn̥ (“name”). The Germanic cognates are Gothic 𐌽𐌰𐌼𐍉 (namō), Old Norse nafn, Old…

It is the unstressed form of æf. Holthausen and Campbell put it beside stressed æf-, which appears in nouns, while of- is the form in verbs, as in ǣfþunca beside ofþyncan. Both are inherited from…

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *tigiwiz (“decades, groups of ten”), the plural of Proto-Germanic *teguz (“group of ten”). The noun stands free in Gothic 𐍄𐌹𐌲𐌿𐍃 (tigus) (plural 𐍄𐌹𐌲𐌾𐌿𐍃 (tigjus))…

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *wiþrą (“toward, against”), probably in a shortened form; the full form is Old English wiþer. The short form is shared with Old Frisian with, Old Saxon with and…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *þār, from Proto-Germanic *þar (“there”). The adverb is common Germanic: Gothic 𐌸𐌰𐍂 (þar), Old Norse þar, Old Frisian thēr, Old Saxon thār and Old High…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *furdu, from Proto-Germanic *furduz (“ford”). The West Germanic relatives are Old Frisian forda, Old Saxon ford and Old High German furt. Kroonen, Orel and…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *hrugi, from Proto-Germanic *hrugjaz (“ridge, back”). The Proto-Germanic noun survives as Old Norse hryggr, Old Frisian hreg, Old Saxon hruggi, Old Dutch…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *upp, from Proto-Germanic *upp (“up, upwards”). Orel heads the Germanic word *uppa, with Old Norse upp, Old Frisian up, Old Saxon upp and Old High German…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *ūt, from Proto-Germanic *ūt (“out”), from Proto-Indo-European *úd (“up, out”). The adverb is common Germanic: Gothic 𐌿𐍄 (ut), Old Norse út, Old Frisian ūt…

1. The word for “over” is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *obar, from Proto-Germanic *uber (“over, above”), from Proto-Indo-European *upér, a comparative form of *upo. Its cognates are Gothic…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *þing, from Proto-Germanic *þingą (“appointed time; meeting; matter”). Its cognates are Old Norse þing, Old Frisian thing, Old Saxon thing and Old High…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *ain, from Proto-Germanic *ainaz (“one”). The Proto-Germanic numeral survives as Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍃 (ains), Old Norse einn, Old Frisian ān, Old Saxon ēn and Old…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *haubud, from Proto-Germanic *haubudą (“head”). The noun is common Germanic: Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌿𐌱𐌹𐌸 (haubiþ), Old Norse hǫfuð, Old Frisian hāved, Old Saxon hōƀid and…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *stain, from Proto-Germanic *stainaz (“stone”). The Proto-Germanic noun survives in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍃 (stains), Old Norse steinn…

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *blōaną (“to bloom, flower”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₃- (“to bloom, flower”). Old English alone keeps the strong verb; the other West Germanic languages…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *kweman, from Proto-Germanic *kwemaną (“to come”). The strong verb is found in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌵𐌹𐌼𐌰𐌽 (qiman), Old Norse koma, Old…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *dādi, from Proto-Germanic *dēdiz (“deed”). The noun is shared by Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌳𐌴𐌸𐍃 (gadeþs), Old Norse dáð, Old Frisian dēde, Old Saxon dād and Old High German…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fader, from Proto-Germanic *fadēr (“father”), from Proto-Indo-European *ph₂tḗr (“father”). The word is common Germanic: Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌳𐌰𐍂 (fadar), Old Norse…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fuir, from Proto-Germanic *fōr (“fire”). The noun is shared by Old Norse fýrr, Old Frisian fiūr, Old Saxon fiur, Old Dutch fuir and Old High German fiur…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *galīk, from Proto-Germanic *galīkaz (“alike, similar”), a compound of *ga- and *-līkaz. The adjective is common Germanic: Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌻𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍃 (galeiks), Old…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *hail, from Proto-Germanic *hailaz (“whole, sound”). Its cognates are Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌻𐍃 (hails), Old Norse heill, Old Frisian hēl, Old Saxon hēl and Old High…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *haldan, from Proto-Germanic *haldaną (“to watch, to look after”). The Proto-Germanic verb survives as Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌻𐌳𐌰𐌽 (haldan, “to tend, to herd”), Old Norse…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *hertā, from Proto-Germanic *hertô (“heart”). Its cognates are Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐍂𐍄𐍉 (hairtō), Old Norse hjarta, Old Frisian herte, Old Saxon herta and Old High…

1. The noun “dog” is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *hund, from Proto-Germanic *hundaz (“dog”). It is shared by all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌷𐌿𐌽𐌳𐍃 (hunds), Old Norse hundr, Old Frisian…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *hwaþar, from Proto-Germanic *hwaþeraz (“which of two”). The pronoun is found in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐍈𐌰𐌸𐌰𐍂 (ƕaþar), Old Norse hvárr, Old…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *libbjan, from Proto-Germanic *libjaną (“to live”). The verb is shared by Gothic 𐌻𐌹𐌱𐌰𐌽 (liban), Old Norse lifa (“to live; to be left”), Old Frisian libba…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *mōder, from Proto-Germanic *mōdēr (“mother”). The noun is shared by Old Norse móðir, Old Frisian mōder, Old Saxon mōdar, Old Dutch muoder and Old High…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *nāhw, from Proto-Germanic *nēhw (“near”), an adverb made from the adjective *nēhwaz (“near”). Related forms are Gothic 𐌽𐌴𐍈𐌰 (nēhwa), the Old Norse prefix…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *nahti, an inflected form of *naht, from Proto-Germanic *nahts (“night”). The Proto-Germanic noun survives in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐌽𐌰𐌷𐍄𐍃…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *opan, from Proto-Germanic *upanaz (“open”). The Proto-Germanic adjective survives as Old Norse opinn, Old Frisian open or epen, Old Saxon opan and Old High…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *anþar, from Proto-Germanic *anþeraz (“the other of two, second”). Its cognates are Gothic 𐌰𐌽𐌸𐌰𐍂 (anþar), Old Norse annarr, Old Frisian ōther, Old Saxon…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *reht (“right, straight”), from Proto-Germanic *rehtaz (“straight”). The adjective is common to the Germanic languages: Gothic 𐍂𐌰𐌹𐌷𐍄𐍃 (raihts), Old Norse…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *sōkijan, from Proto-Germanic *sōkijaną (“to seek, look for”). The verb is found in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐍃𐍉𐌺𐌾𐌰𐌽 (sōkjan), Old Norse sǿkja…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *sattjan, from Proto-Germanic *satjaną (“to set, place”), from Proto-Indo-European *sodéyeti. It is the causative of the verb for “to sit” (Old English…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *sittjan, from Proto-Germanic *sitjaną (“to sit”), from Proto-Indo-European *sédyeti, a present of the root Proto-Indo-European *sed- (“to sit”). The…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *sprekan (“to speak”). Its cognates are Old Frisian spreka, Old Saxon sprekan, Old Dutch sprekan and Old High German sprehhan. Ringe and Taylor list it among…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *standan, from Proto-Germanic *standaną (“to stand”). The verb is found in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌽 (standan), Old Norse standa, Old…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *stebnu, from Proto-Germanic *stebnō (“voice”). It has cognates in Gothic 𐍃𐍄𐌹𐌱𐌽𐌰 (stibna), Old Frisian stifne, Old Saxon stemna and Old High German stimna…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *swōtī, from Proto-Germanic *swōtuz (“sweet”), from Proto-Indo-European *swéh₂dus (“sweet”). The adjective is found in Old Norse sœtr, Old Frisian swēte, Old…

1. The tree is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *treu, from Proto-Germanic *trewą (“tree”). The Proto-Germanic neuter is continued by Gothic 𐍄𐍂𐌹𐌿 (triu, “stick, piece of wood”), Old Norse tré…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *watar, from Proto-Germanic *watōr (“water”), from Proto-Indo-European *wédōr, the collective of Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ (“water”). The Germanic cognates…

1. The verb “to know” is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *witan, from Proto-Germanic *witaną (“to know”). It is a preterite-present verb in all the old Germanic languages: Gothic 𐍅𐌹𐍄𐌰𐌽 (witan)…

1. It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *wurti, from Proto-Germanic *wurtiz (“root, plant”). Its cognates are Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐍄𐍃 (waurts, “root”), Old Norse urt (“herb”), Old Saxon wurt and Old High…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *þankijan, from Proto-Germanic *þankijaną (“to think”). Its cognates are Gothic 𐌸𐌰𐌲𐌺𐌾𐌰𐌽 (þagkjan), Old Norse þekkja (“to perceive, to know”), Old Frisian…

1. The book is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *bōk, from Proto-Germanic *bōks. The word is shared by the other Germanic languages: Old Frisian bōk, Old Saxon bōk (“book, writing tablet”), Old…

It is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *skaiþan, from Proto-Germanic *skaiþaną (“to separate”). Its cognates are Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌹𐌳𐌰𐌽 (skaidan, “to separate, divide”), Old Frisian skētha, Old Saxon…