æþele

• eþele, æðele
• ᚫᚦᚦᛁᛚᚫ (æþþilæ) — Ruthwell Cross

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

• IPA^(key): /ˈæ.θe.le/, [ˈæ.ðe.le]

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.

• Middle English: athel
  • English: athel, Ethel