mæw

Old English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *maiwiz, a byform of Proto-Germanic *maiwaz. Cognate with West Frisian meau, miuw, Old Saxon mēu (Middle Low German meve, from which German Möwe), Dutch meeuw, Old Norse már, mór.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /mæːw/

Noun

mǣw m

  1. gull, seagull
    On gōdne dæġ ic ġefō crabban and telle mǣwas.
    On a good day, I catch crabs and count seagulls.

Declension

Strong a-stem:

singular plural
nominative mǣw mǣwas
accusative mǣw mǣwas
genitive mǣwes mǣwa
dative mǣwe mǣwum

Descendants

  • Middle English: mewe, mawe, meau, mowe
    • English: mew (archaic)
    • Scots: maw (through confluence with Old Norse form)
    • → Old French: maoe, mave, mauve
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