cwen

See also: cƿen

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *kwēniz (“woman, wife”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷḗn. Cognate with Old Saxon quān, Old Norse kvæn, Gothic 𐌵𐌴𐌽𐍃 (qens). The Indo-European root is also the source of Ancient Greek γυνή (gunḗ), (Greek γυναίκα (gynaíka)), Proto-Slavic *žena (Old Church Slavonic жена (žena), Russian жена (žena)), Old Irish ben (Welsh benyw), and Albanian zonjë.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /kweːn/

Noun

cwēn f

  1. woman
    Seo clæneste cwen ofer eorþan.
    The purest woman on earth.
  2. wife
  3. queen
    Aðelwulf cyng Carles dohtor hæfde to cwene.
    King Athelwulf took Charles's daughter as his queen.

Declension

Synonyms

Descendants

See also

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