efnniht

Old English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *ebnanaht (literally “equal night”), a calque of Latin aequinoctium. Cognate with Old Frisian evennacht and Old Norse jafnnætti. Equivalent to efn- +‎ niht.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈefnˌnixt/, [ˈevnˌniçt]

Noun

efnniht f

  1. equinox
    • c. 994, Ælfric, On the Seasons of the Year
      Rōmanisc̄e lēodan ongynnað heora ġēar æfter hǣðenum ġewunan on winterlīċere tīde. Ebrei healdað heora geares annginn on lenctenlīcre emnihte. Đā Grēcisċan onginnað hyra ġēar æt ðām sunnstede; ⁊ ða Egiptisċan on hærfest.
      The Roman people begin theirs, after the heathen custom, in the winter time. The Hebrews observe the beginning of their year on the vernal equinox. The Greeks begin their year at the solstice; and the Egyptians in the fall.

Declension

Strong consonant stem:

singular plural
nominative efnniht efnniht
accusative efnniht efnniht
genitive efnniht efnnihta
dative efnniht efnnihtum

Descendants

  • Middle English: *even-night

References

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