wyrtweard

Old English

FWOTD – 28 August 2019

Etymology

From wyrt (“plant”) +‎ weard (“ward”). Compare wuduweard (“forester”), which is formed similarly.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwyrtˌwæ͜ɑrd/, [ˈwyrˠtˌwæ͜ɑrˠd]

Noun

wyrtweard m

1. gardener
   • c. 990, Wessex Gospels, John 20:15

     Þā cwæþ sē Hǣlend tō hire, "Wīf, hwȳ wēpst þū? Hwone sēcst þū?" Hēo wēnde þæt hit sē wyrtweard wǣre, and cwæþ tō him, "Lēof, ġif þū hine nāme, sæġe mē hwǣr þū hine leġde, and iċ hine nime."

     Then Jesus said to her (Mary Magdalene), "Ma'am, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you took him (Jesus' dead body) somewhere, then tell me where you put him, and I will take him."

Declension

Declension of wyrtweard (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	wyrtweard	wyrtweardas
accusative	wyrtweard	wyrtweardas
genitive	wyrtweardes	wyrtwearda
dative	wyrtwearde	wyrtweardum