old English · revision 1849

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725|origins=ine-pro *al-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /əʊld/ ''(UK)''; /oʊld/ ''(US)''^(Roach et al. 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|old]], [[m|enm|ald]],^(MWU 2024)^(Barnhart 1995) [[inh|ang|ald]] (Anglian), [[m|ang|eald]] (West Saxon),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995) from [[gem-pro|*alþaz|t=grown up, adult]],^(Etymonline) originally a past participle of a verb meaning “to grow, nourish” (compare [[got|𐌰𐌻𐌰𐌽|tr=alan|t=to grow up]] and [[non|ala|t=to nourish]]),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) from [[ine-pro|*al-|t=to grow, nourish]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966) It is related to [[la|alere|t=to nourish]] and [[m|la|altus|t=high, literally grown]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966)^(Weekley 1921) Cognates include [[nl|oud]], [[de|alt]] and [[got|𐌰𐌻𐌸𐌴𐌹𐍃|tr=alþeis|t=old]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The original vowel survives in Scots ''[[auld]]'' and in ''[[alderman]]'', and the old comparative and superlative in ''[[elder]]'' and ''[[eldest]]''.^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Ancient, of long standing; far advanced in life; mature (Old English, before 725).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Etymonline notes that the usual Proto-Indo-European root for “old” was a different one (see ''[[senior]]''), and that some languages kept separate words for old as opposed to young and old as opposed to new, as Latin did with ''senex'' for aged persons and ''vetus'' for old things.^(Etymonline) Weekley suggests that the measuring sense, as in ''ten years old'', preceded the absolute one.^(Weekley 1921) Intensive and affectionate uses appear early: in Old English Satan is called “the old one”,^(Weekley 1921) and Middle and Tudor English used ''old'' to mean “great, abundant”, as in “gode olde fyghtyng” (about 1440) and Shakespeare's ''old utis'', high merriment.^(Weekley 1921)^(Skeat & Mayhew 1914) As a familiar epithet it dates from the 14th century,^(Hoad 1986) as in Shakespeare's ''old Jack'',^(GDoS) and its disparaging use, as in ''old codger'', from 1508.^(OED 1989) The name ''Old English'' meant archaic English from about 1303, and was given its technical sense of English before 1100 by Henry Sweet in 1871.^(Barnhart 1988) In 19th-century New England ''old'' also meant “stale” (''old bread'') and “crafty”,^(Bartlett 1848) and ''to get old'', to become tiresome, is American, from 1864.^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 725 – Old English ''ald'', ''eald''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1200 – ''old'', ''olde''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * c. 1303 – ''olde Englys'', archaic English.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1508 – used disparagingly.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1526 – ''olde wyves fable'', in Tyndale.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1530 – ''old maid''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1653 – ''old-fashioned'', in Walton (1596 in the Concise Barnhart).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1864 – ''get old'', become tiresome (US).^(HTOED)

+ * 1871 – ''Old English'', the language before 1100.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Having lived or existed for a long time; far advanced in years.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Made or begun long ago; long used, worn or [[stale]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Of a specified age: ''six years old''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Of long standing; familiar: ''an old friend''.^(MW Collegiate)^(COED 2004)

+ # Belonging to an earlier time; former: ''my old school''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(COED 2004)

+ # ''(capitalized)'' Belonging to an early stage of a language: ''Old English''.^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ # ''(informal)'' Expressing affection, familiarity or contempt: ''good old Mum''.^(COED 2004)^(GDoS)

+ # ''(informal)'' Tiresome through repetition.^(Wiktionary)^(HTOED)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(the old)'' Old people as a group.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Former times, in ''of old''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # One of a specified age: ''a five-year-old''.^(MW Collegiate)^(COED 2004)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[oldness]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[auld]]

+ * [[elder]]

+ * [[eldest]]

+ * [[alderman]]

+ * [[adult]]

+ * [[adolescent]]

+ * [[alimony]]

+ * [[altitude]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Old'' is the most general term for what dates from an earlier time;^(AHD) ''ancient'' refers to the distant past, ''archaic'' to a remote, often primitive period, and ''antiquated'' to what is out of date.^(AHD) Random House distinguishes ''old'' from ''aged'', very far advanced in years, and ''elderly'', somewhat old.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}