Reconstruction:Old English/smeortan

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *smertan, from Proto-Germanic *smertaną (“to hurt”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)merd- (“to sting”). Cognate with Old High German smerzan (“to smart”). More at smart.

Attested only indirectly in derivatives, such as fyrsmeortende ("smarting like a burn", the present participle of an otherwise unattested verb fyrsmeortan) and smeortung.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsme͜or.tɑn/, [ˈsme͜orˠ.tɑn]

Verb

*smeortan

1. to smart; hurt

Conjugation

Conjugation of smeortan (strong class 3)

infinitive	smeortan	smeortenne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	smeorte	smeart
second person singular	smierst, smiertst	smurte
third person singular	smiert	smeart
plural	smeortaþ	smurton
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	smeorte	smurte
plural	smeorten	smurten
imperative
singular	smeort
plural	smeortaþ
participle	present	past
	smeortende	*(ġe)smorten

Derived terms

• fyrsmeortende
• smeortung

Descendants

• Middle English: smerten, smearten, smeorten, smarten
  • English: smart
  • Scots: smert, smairt