unmann

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *unmann (“non-human, monster”), equivalent to un- (“non-; bad”) +‎ mann (“person”). Cognate with Middle Low German unman (“monster, fiend”), Middle High German unman (“evildoer”), and Old Norse úmannan (“wretch, laughing-stock”). Compare also Old High German unmennisko (“a non-human”) → German Unmensch (“brute”), which is formed similarly.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈunˌmɑnn/, [ˈunˌmɑn]

Noun

unmann m

1. a non-human
2. brute, thug
   • c. 992, Ælfric, "Palm Sunday: On the Lord's Passion"

     Swā fela þūsenda engla meahton ēaðe bewerian Crist wiþ þām unmannum, mid heofonlīcum wǣpnum, ġif hē þrōwian nolde selfwilles for ūs.

     That many thousands of angels could have easily defended Christ against those brutes [the men who came to arrest Jesus], with weapons from heaven, if he didn't want to suffer of his own free will for us.

Declension

Declension of unmann (strong consonant stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	unmann	unmenn
accusative	unmann	unmenn
genitive	unmannes	unmanna
dative	unmenn	unmannum

Descendants

• Middle English: unman