User:Gilgamesh~enwiktionary/List of English words of Germanic origin with silent initial consonants

Entries in italic are probable (but not certainly attested) cases.

gn

• gnarl
• gnash
• gnat
• gnaw
• gneiss
• nag (? < O.N. gnaga)
• natter (< gnatter)

hl

• ladder (< M.E. laddre < O.E. hlǣder)
• lade, laden (< M.E. laden < O.E. hladan)
• ladle (< M.E. ladel < O.E. hlædel)
• lady, ladies (< M.E. ladie, ladi < lavedi < O.E. hlǣfdīge, hlǣfdige)
• lank (< M.E. lanc < O.E. hlanc)
• lathe (shape) (? < O.N. hlaða)
• laugh (< M.E. laughen < O.E. Anglian hlæhhan, hlæhan)
• laughter (< O.E. hleahtor)
• lean (incline) (< M.E. lenen < O.E. hleonian, hlinian)
• lean (thin) (< M.E. lene < O.E. hlǣne)
• leap, leapt (< M.E. lepen < O.E. hlēapan)
• lee (shelter) (< O.E. hlēow, hlēo)
• leer (look) (< M.E. ler < O.E. hlēor)
• lid (< O.E. hlid)
• link (< M.E. linke, link < O.Dan. lænkia < O.N. hlenkr)
• loaf, loaves (< M.E. loof, lof < O.E. hlāf)
• lop (flea) (? < O.N. *hloppa < hlaupa)
• lord (< M.E. lord, loverd < O.E. hlāford, hlāfweard)
• lot (< O.E. hlot)
• loud (< O.E. hlūd)
• Louis, Louise, Lou (< F. Louis < O.F. Loois < Med.L. Ludovicus < O.H.G. Hluodowig)

hn

• nap (sleep) (< M.E. nappen < O.E. hnappian)
• nap (fiber) (< M.E. noppe < O.E. -hnoppa)
• neck (< M.E. nekke < O.E. hnecca)
• neigh (< M.E. neyghen, neyen < O.E. hnǣgan)
• nick (? < O.E. gehnycned or O.N. hnykla)
• niggard (< M.E. nyggard, nygart < Scand. ? < P.Gmc. *hnauwjaz + -ard)
• nit (< M.E. nite < O.E. hnitu)
• nod (< M.E. nodde < ? < P.Gmc. *hnudojanan)
• nut (< M.E. nute < O.E. hnutu)

hr

• ranch (< Sp. rancho < ranchear < O.F. ranger < rang < Frankish hring)
• range (< O.F. < rangier < reng < Frankish hring)
• rank (order) (< O.F. ranc < Frankish hring)
• rathe (< O.E. hræth, hræd)
• rather (< O.E. hraþor)
• raven (< O.E. hrǣfn)
• raw (< O.E. hrēaw, hrǣw)
• reed (< O.E. hrēod)
• reel (< M.E. rele < O.E. hrēol)
• ridge (< M.E. rigge < O.E. hrycg)
• ring (circle) (< O.E. hring)
• ring, rang, rung (sound) (< M.E. ringen < O.E. hringan)
• rink (? < M.E. Scots renc, reng < M.F. renc < Frankish hring)
• roast (< O.F. rostir < Frankish *hraustjan)
• Robert, Roberta, Rob, Robby, Robbie, Bob, Bobby, Bobbie (< O.F. < O.H.G. Hrōdberht)
• Roger, Rog, Hodge (< O.F. Rogier < O.H.G. Hrotger)
• roof (< O.E. hrōf)
• rook (< M.E. roke, rok < O.E. hrōc)
• roost (< O.E. hrōst)
• rue (< M.E. rewen < O.E. hrēowan)
• ruffle (< M.E. ruffelen < ? < O.N. hrufla or L.G. ruffelen)
• ruth (< M.E. reuthe = rue+-th)

hw

This section excludes words with a wh- spelling, because the wine-whine merger is not universal. However, this section does include words with a simple w- spelling that were coined in accents with the wine-whine merger.

• wack, wacko, wacky (< whack)
• wang (< whang)

kn

• knack
• knap
• knapsack
• knave
• knead
• knee, kneel, knelt
• knell
• knickers
• knife, knives
• knight
• knit
• knob
• knock
• knoll
• knot
• know, knew, known, knowledge
• knub, nub
• knuckle
• nog (wood) (? < knag)
• nudge (< var. of knidge, nidge)
• nugget (? < var. of nug < nog < ? < knag)

wl

• lisp (< M.E. wlispen)

wr

• root (of plants) (< O.E. rōt < O.N. rōt < P.Gmc. *wrōt)
• root (turn up) (< wroot)
• wraith
• wrangle
• wrap
• wrath
• wreak
• wreath, wreathe
• wreck, wrack, rack (wrack)
• wren
• wrench
• wrestle, wrastle, rastle, rassle
• wretch
• wright, wrought
• wring, wrung
• wrinkle
• wrist
• write, wrote, written, writ
• writhe
• wrong
• wroth
• wry