hræfn

Old English

Hræfnes hēafod

Alternative forms

• hrefn, hræmn, hremn, hræfen

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *hrabn, from Proto-Germanic *hrabnaz. Cognate with Old Frisian raven, Old Saxon hraƀan, Old Dutch ravan, Old High German raban, Old Norse hrafn. Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱorh₂-, whence Latin corvus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xræfn/, [r̥ævn]

Noun

hræfn m

1. raven

   Synonym: nihthrōc

   • Date uncertain, unknown author, Finnsburh fragment lines 34-35:

     Hræfen wandrode
     sweart and salubrūn.

     A raven wandered
     black and dusky-brown.

Declension

Declension of hræfn (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	hræfn	hræfnas
accusative	hræfn	hræfnas
genitive	hræfnes	hræfna
dative	hræfne	hræfnum

Derived terms

• hræfnsweart

Descendants

• Middle English: raven, reven, revin
  • English: raven
  • Scots: ravin, revin, rawin