maþmgiefa

Old English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *maiþmagebō. Cognate with Old Saxon mēðomgeƀo. Equivalent to māþm (“treasure”) +‎ ġiefa (“giver”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈmɑːθmˌji͜y.fɑ/, [ˈmɑːðmˌji͜y.vɑ]

Noun

māþmġiefa m

  1. (poetic) giver of treasures; generous man/ruler
    • 10th century, The Wanderer:
      Hwǣr cōm mearg? Hwǣr cōm mago? · Hwǣr cōm māþþumġyfa?
      Hwǣr cōm symbla ġesetu? · Hwǣr sindon seledrēamas?
      Ēalā beorht bune! · Ēalā byrnwiga!
      Ēalā þēodnes þrym! · Hū sēo þrāg ġewāt,
      ġenāp under nihthelm, · swā hēo nō wære.
      Whither did the horse come? Whither did the man come? Whither did the treasure-giver come?
      Whither did the seats of feasts come? Where are the hall-joys?
      Alack and alas, bright cup! Alack and alas, mailed warrior!
      Alack and alas, the army of the king! How did the time pass,
      grow dark under the cover of night, as if it never did.

Declension

Weak:

singular plural
nominative māþmġiefa māþmġiefan
accusative māþmġiefan māþmġiefan
genitive māþmġiefan māþmġiefena
dative māþmġiefan māþmġiefum
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