nædre
Old English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Proto-West Germanic *nadrā, from Proto-Germanic *nadrǭ. Cognate with Old High German natra, Old Norse naðra, Gothic 𐌽𐌰𐌳𐍂𐍃 (nadrs).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈnæːd.re/
Noun
nǣdre f
- snake
- "Gospel of Saint Luke", chapter 10, verse 19
- And nū ic sealde ēow ānweald tō tredenne ofer nǣddran. And snacan and ofer ǣlc fēondes mæġen. And nān þing ēow ne derað...
- And now I gave you power to tread over adders and snakes and over each fiends' force. And no thing harms you.
- late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans
- ...for þon hit is nǣdrena ġecynd þæt heora mǣġen ⁊ hiera fēþe bið on heora ribbum swā ōþerra crēopendra wyrma bið on heora fōtum.
- ...for it is the class of snakes whose movement is on their ribs, just as the motion of other creeping reptiles is with their feet.
- "Gospel of Saint Luke", chapter 10, verse 19
Declension
Weak feminine (n-stem):
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | nǣdre | nǣdran |
| accusative | nǣdran | nǣdran |
| genitive | nǣdran | nǣdrena |
| dative | nǣdran | nǣdrum |
Derived terms
- nǣderbita (“mongoose”)
- wæternǣdre (“water snake”)
Descendants
- Middle English: nadder [and other forms]
- English: adder, edder (by rebracketing)
- Scots: edder