hlæfdige
Old English
Etymology
From hlāf (“bread”) + a second element representing Proto-Germanic *daigijǭ (“kneader”) (compare dāg (“dough”), cf. dæge). See also hlāford.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈxlæːfˌdiː.je/, [ˈl̥æːvˌdiː.je]
Noun
hlǣfdīġe f
- a lady, the mistress of a household
- noblewoman; queen
- a form of courteous address; lady
- the Virgin Mary
Usage notes
- As feminine equivalents of æþeling, eorl, and þeġn never developed, this was generally the title given to every noblewoman from the rank of baroness to princess.
Declension
Declension of hlæfdige (weak)
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | hlǣfdīġe | hlǣfdīġan |
| accusative | hlǣfdīġan | hlǣfdīġan |
| genitive | hlǣfdīġan | hlǣfdīġena |
| dative | hlǣfdīġan | hlǣfdīġum |
Descendants
- Middle English: lady, laddy, ladi, ladie, ladij, ladye, lavedi, lefdi, lefdy, levedi, levedy, lhevedi; lafdi, laffdiȝ, læfdi, lævedi, leafdi
- English: lady (see there for further descendants)
- Scots: lady, leddy
- Yola: laady