bearn

See also: Bearn, beàrn, Béarn, and Bèarn

Irish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bʲaːɾˠn̪ˠ/

Noun

bearn f (genitive singular bearna, nominative plural bearnacha)

1. Ulster form of bearna (“gap”)

Declension

Declension of bearn

Third declension

Bare forms: Case Singular Plural Nominative bearn bearnacha Vocative a bhearn a bhearnacha Genitive bearna bearnacha Dative bearn bearnacha

Forms with the definite article: Case Singular Plural Nominative an bhearn na bearnacha Genitive na bearna na mbearnacha Dative leis an mbearn don bhearn leis na bearnacha

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
bearn	bhearn	mbearn
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “bearna”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN

Middle English

Noun

bearn

1. Alternative form of barn (“child”)

Old English

Etymology 1

From Proto-Germanic *barną. Cognate with Old Frisian bern, Old Saxon barn, Old Dutch *barn, Old High German barn, Old Norse barn, Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐍂𐌽 (barn). Related to beran.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bæ͜ɑrn/, [bæ͜ɑrˠn]

Noun

bearn n

1. child
   • late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Boethius' The Consolation of Philosophy

     Swīðe wynsum hit biþ þæt man wīf hæbbe and bearn.

     It is very pleasant to have a wife and children.

   • late 9th century, Old English Martyrology

     Hīe wǣron twēntiġ ġēara samod ǣr þon þe hīe bearn hæfdon.

     They were together for twenty years before they had a child.

   • c. 990, Wessex Gospels, "Gospel of Saint John", chapter 13, verse 33

     Lā bearn, nū gȳt ic eom ġehwǣde tīd mid ēow. Ġē mē sēceað; and swā ic þām Iudeon sǣde, Ġē ne magon faran þyder þe ic fare; and nū ic ēow secge.

     O children, now yet I am little time with you. You seek me; and as I told the Jews, You cannot go to there which I go; and now I tell you.

2. baby

Usage notes

See the usage notes for ċild.

Declension

Declension of bearn (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	bearn	bearn
accusative	bearn	bearn
genitive	bearnes	bearna
dative	bearne	bearnum

Derived terms

• bearnlufu
• bearnlēas
• bearntēam
• bearnēacen
• bearnġestrēon
• cynebearn
• frumbearn
• fōstorbearn
• stēopbearn
• wūscbearn

 

Descendants

• Middle English: barn, bern, bearn, bærn, barne, berne, baren
  • English: barn (obsolete, dialectal)
  • Geordie English: bairn
  • Scots: bairn
    • → English: bairn
  • Yola: barrn

Etymology 2

Inflections.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bæ͜ɑrn/, [bæ͜ɑrˠn]

Verb

bearn

1. first/third-person singular preterite of beirnan

Etymology 3

Contraction of bereern, bereærn (literally “barley-place”), equivalent to bere +‎ ærn.

Alternative forms

• bern

Noun

bearn n

1. a place to store barley

Declension

Declension of bearn (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	bearn	bearn
accusative	bearn	bearn
genitive	bearnes	bearna
dative	bearne	bearnum

Descendants

• Middle English: bern, barn, baryn, bærn, berne
  • English: barn
  • Scots: bern
  • Yola: barrn