heretoga

English

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Old English heretoga (“army leader, commander, general”). Doublet of heretog and herzog.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌheɹəˈtəʊɡə/

Noun

heretoga (plural heretogas)

1. (historical) An Anglo-Saxon army leader or commander; a general; a duke.
   • 1890, James Kendall Hosmer, A Short History of Anglo-Saxon Freedom:

     Like the old heretogas, they possessed no authority but such as was accorded them by their fellow-tribesmen, though when once constituted they had a power co-ordinate with that of the folk-moot.

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *harjatogō. Equivalent to here (“army”) +‎ *toga (“leader”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈxe.reˌto.ɡɑ/, [ˈhe.reˌto.ɣɑ]

Noun

heretoga m

1. general
   • late 9th century, translation of Bede's Ecclesiastical History

     Wǣron ðā ǣrest heora lāttēowas ⁊ heretogan twegen ġebrōðra Henġest ⁊ Horsa'.'

     The first of their leaders and generals were two brothers, Hengist and Horsa.

2. duke

Declension

Declension of heretoga (weak)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	heretoga	heretogan
accusative	heretogan	heretogan
genitive	heretogan	heretogena
dative	heretogan	heretogum

Descendants

• Middle English: heretowa, heretoȝe, heretogh, heretoȝæ, heretoche
  • → English: heretog
• → English: heretoga