soþ

sōþ

1. romanization of 𐍃𐍉𐌸

From Proto-West Germanic *sanþ, from Proto-Germanic *sanþaz.

• IPA^(key): /soːθ/

sōþ

2. true, real
   • late 10th century, Ælfric, Lives of Saints

     Hē þancode þā god eallra his gōdnyssa, þæt hē hine ġesċylde wiþ þone swicolan deofol and him siġe forġēaf þurh sōþne ġelēafan.

     Then he thanked God for all of his good deeds, that He protected him against the treacherous devil and gave him victory through the true faith.

   • late 9th century, Old English Martyrology

     Him mon brōhte gold tō ġefe, on þǣm wæs ġetācnod þæt hē wæs sōð cyning. Ōðer him brōhte reċels, on þǣm wæs ġetācnod þæt hē wæs sōð god. Sē þridda him brōhte myrran þā wyrt, on þǣm wæs ġetācnod þæt hē wæs dēadlīċ mon, ond þæt hē þurh his ānes dēað ealle ġelēaffulle men ġefrēode fram ēċum dēade.

     One man brought gold to give to him, which signified that he was a true king. The second brought him incense, which signified that he was the true god. The third brought him the myrrh-plant, which signified that he was a mortal man, and that through his death alone, he freed all faithful men from eternal death.

sōþ n

2. truth
   • Maxims II, 9-10

     Soð bið swicolost, sinc byð deorost,
     gold gumena gehwam, and gomol snoterost [...]

     Truth will be trickiest, treasure the dearest,
     gold is for all men, and the old one is wisest [...]

Strong a-stem:

• leas
• synn

• Middle English: soth
  • English: sooth
  • Scots: suthe, suith