betweonum

Old English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Originally a phrase made up of be (by) + twēonum (“the two”, dative plural noun). Very rarely, these elements were still used as separate words: be sǣm twēonum ("between two seas," Beowulf 858).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /beˈtwe͜oː.num/

Preposition

betwēonum

  1. between
    • late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans
      Æfter þǣm þe Rōmeburg ġetimbred wæs IIII hunde wintra ⁊ II, þætte Cartaina þǣre burge ǣrendracan cōmon tō Rōme ⁊ him ġebudon þæt hīe frið him betwēonum hæfden...
      Four hundred and two years after the city of Rome was built, messengers [from] the city of Carthage came to Rome and proposed that there be peace between them...