swefn

Old English

Alternative forms

• swefen

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *swefn, from Proto-Germanic *swefnaz (“sleep, dream”), from Proto-Indo-European *swépnos.

Cognate with Old Saxon sweƀan, Old Norse svefn. The Indo-European root also led to Ancient Greek ὕπνος (húpnos), Latin somnus, Old Irish suan, Old Church Slavonic сънъ (sŭnŭ), Lithuanian sãpnas.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /swefn/, [swevn]

Noun

swefn n

1. dream

   Iċ ġefylde mīn swefn.

   I fulfilled my dream.

   Iċ nǣfre ne ġeman mīnra swefna.

   I never remember my dreams.

Usage notes

• “To have a dream” is expressed with mǣtan (“to dream”), not habban (“to have”): Ġiestran niht mē mǣtte swefn þæt iċ wǣre fram wulfe forswolgen (“Last night I had [lit. dreamed] a dream that I was devoured by a wolf”).

Declension

Declension of swefn (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	swefn	swefnu
accusative	swefn	swefnu
genitive	swefnes	swefna
dative	swefne	swefnum

Derived terms

• unswefn
• swefnian
• swefniend

Descendants

• Middle English: sweven, swevyn, swevon, swevene, swevne, swheven, squeven, sueven, seven, swene; swefen, suefen, sweoven
  • English: sweven
  • Scots: sweven, swevyn

See also

• mǣtan