seleness

Old English

Etymology

1. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

seleness f

1. tradition
   • Lindisfarne Gospels, "Gospel of Saint Matthew", chapter 15, verse 2-3

     Forhuon ðegnas ðīne hīa ofergæs ł oferhogas selenise ł setnesa ðāra ældra? Ne forðon ðwas hond hiora mið ðȳ hlāf eattas. ðe ł hē wutetlīce ondworde cueð him: forhuon and ġie ofergaað ł forhogas bebod Godes fore selenise ł setnise hire?

     Why your thanes, they go beyond tradition of their elders? Not because they wash their hand with bread they eat. He however answering said to them: Why and you go beyond God's command for tradition of itself?

Related terms

• setness

References

• Joseph Bosworth and T. Northcote Toller (1898) “seleness”, in An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary‎^[1], 2nd edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press.