ᛋᛏᛡᛒᛡ

Proto-Norse

Etymology

Accusative plural of *ᛋᛏᛡᛒᛦ (*stᴀbʀ), from earlier *ᛊᛏᚨᛒᚨᛉ (*stabaʀ), from Proto-Germanic *stabaz.

Noun

ᛋᛏᛡᛒᛡ (stᴀbᴀ /staβa/) m (accusative plural) (Transitional Period)

1. staff, stick
2. a letter of the (runic) alphabet
   • 600s, inscription on the (now-lost) Gummarp stone

     ᚺᛡᚦᚢᚹᛟᛚᛡᚠᛡ ¶ ᛋᛡᛏᛖ ¶ ᛋᛏᛡᛒᛡᚦᚱᛁᚨ ¶ ᚠᚠᚠ
     hAþuwolAfA ¶ sAte ¶ stAbAþria ¶ fff

     Haþuwolᵃfa sattē staβa þrīą: f[ē] f[ē] f[ē]

     [in memory of] Haþuwolfʀ, [N.] placed three staves: wealth, wealth, wealth

Descendants

• Old Norse: stafr (accusative plural stafa)
  • Icelandic: stafur
  • Faroese: stavur
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: stav
  • Norwegian Bokmål: stav
  • Old Swedish: staver
    • Swedish: stav, staf (pre-1906 spelling)
  • Old Danish: staf
    • Danish: stav
  • Gutnish: stav