eald

Old English

Alternative forms

• ald, eold, æld, eld

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *aldaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eltós, a suffixed form of *h₂el- (“grow, nourish”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /æ͜ɑld/, [æ͜ɑɫd]

Adjective

eald (comparative ieldra, superlative ieldest)

1. old

   Hū eald eart þū?

   How old are you?

   • The Dialogues of Solomon and Saturn

     Ic þē secge, hēo wæs iii and sixtiġ ġēara eald, ðā hēo belȳfen wæs...

     I tell thee, she was three and sixty years old when she died...

2. ancient

   on ealdum dagum

   in ancient times, in olden days

   • c. 992, Ælfric, "The Octaves and Circumcision of Our Lord"

     Þā ealdan Rōmāne, on hǣðenum dagum, ongunnon þæs ġēares ymbryne on þissum dæġe.

     The Ancient Romans, in pagan times, began the course of the year on this day.

3. (in compounds) original

   Ealdseaxan ― the continental Saxons

4. grand-

Declension

Declension of eald — Strong

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	eald	eald	eald
Accusative	ealdne	ealde	eald
Genitive	ealdes	ealdre	ealdes
Dative	ealdum	ealdre	ealdum
Instrumental	ealde	ealdre	ealde
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	ealde	ealda, ealde	eald
Accusative	ealde	ealda, ealde	eald
Genitive	ealdra	ealdra	ealdra
Dative	ealdum	ealdum	ealdum
Instrumental	ealdum	ealdum	ealdum

Declension of eald — Weak

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	ealda	ealde	ealde
Accusative	ealdan	ealdan	ealde
Genitive	ealdan	ealdan	ealdan
Dative	ealdan	ealdan	ealdan
Instrumental	ealdan	ealdan	ealdan
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	ealdan	ealdan	ealdan
Accusative	ealdan	ealdan	ealdan
Genitive	ealdra, ealdena	ealdra, ealdena	ealdra, ealdena
Dative	ealdum	ealdum	ealdum
Instrumental	ealdum	ealdum	ealdum

Derived terms

• ealdnes
• efneald
• ieldu

Descendants

• Middle English: olde, old, ald; holde, wolde; yolde, yhold, yolle
  • English: old, wold (dialect)
  • Geordie English: awd, auld
  • Scots: auld
  • Yola: yole, yold