See also: cuy, cuth, and cuð

Old English edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Germanic *kunþaz. Related to cunnan. Compare Old Saxon kuth and kunnan.

Pronunciation edit

Verb edit

cūþ

  1. past participle of cunnan

Adjective edit

cūþ (superlative cūþost)

  1. known
    • late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Saint Augustine's Soliloquies
      Wōst þū þonne gyt genōh be Gode, gyf hē þē byð cūð swā þē is nū þes mōnan færeld — on hwilcum tungle he nū is, oððe on hwilce hē þanon gēð?
      Then wouldst thou know enough about God, if He should be as well known to thee as the motion of the moon—in what constellation it now is, or into which it is going next?
    • c. 992, Ælfric, "For Palm Sunday"
      Þam folce wearð cūð þæt se Hælend arærde lytle ær Lazarum of deaðe, seðe læg stincende feower niht on byrgene: þa comon þa togeanes Criste þe geleaffulle wæron, mid þam wurðmynte, swa we ær cwædon.
      It was known to the people that Christ a little before had raised Lazarus from death, who had lain stinking four nights in the grave: then those, who were believing, came to meet Christ with the honours which we have already mentioned.
  2. (substantive) an acquaintance

Declension edit

Derived terms edit

Descendants edit

  • English: couth, could