feþer

See also: fether, feyer, and féther

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old English feþer, from Proto-West Germanic *feþru, from Proto-Germanic *feþrō, from Proto-Indo-European *péth₂r̥ ~ pth₂én-.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈfɛðər/, /ˈfɛːðər/, /ˈfɛdər/

Noun

feþer (plural feþeres)

  1. a feather

Descendants

  • English: feather
  • Scots: fedder
  • Yola: vethers (plural)

References

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *feþru. See there for more.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈfe.θer/, [ˈfe.ðer]

Noun

feþer f

  1. feather
    • 10th century, The Wanderer:
      baþian brimfuglas, · brǣdan feþra,
      hrēosan hrīm ond snāw, · hagle ġemenġed.
      bathe of sea-birds, spread of feathers,
      fall of frost and snow, mingled with hail.
  2. pen (writing instrument)
    Sōðlīċe iċ þenċe mid mīnre feðre, for þon þe mīn hēafod oft nāt nāwiht be þām þe mīn hand wrīt.
    I really do think with my pen, because my head often knows nothing about what my hand is writing.

Declension

Strong ō-stem:

singular plural
nominative feþer feþra, feþre
accusative feþre feþra, feþre
genitive feþre feþra
dative feþre feþrum

Derived terms

Descendants

References