*aldaz
Runic: ᚨᛚᛞᚨᛉ Pronunciation: /ˈɑl.dɑz/adjective · a-stem
Meanings
old; grown up, mature
Etymology
From Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-tó-s, a verbal adjective in *-tó- from *h₂el-, the same root underlying *alaną (Dalpedri 2026: §2.6.2; Rix et al. 2001: 262; Watkins 2011: s.v. *al-²). The *d reflects Verner’s Law under suffixal accent; the probable inherited Proto-Germanic comparative degree paradigm was *aldaz : *alþizô : *alþistaz, preserving the voiceless *þ in the comparative and superlative (Ringe 2017: 317). Directly cognate with Latin altus, which is likewise from *h₂el-tó-s; compare also root cognates Latin alō, Old Irish ailid, and Ancient Greek ἀλδαίνω (aldaínō) (Dalpedri 2026: §2.6.2; Rix et al. 2001: 262; Watkins 2011: s.v. *al-²).
Declension
Strong declension
| Case | Sg. Masc. | Sg. Fem. | Sg. Neut. | Pl. Masc. | Pl. Fem. | Pl. Neut. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nom. | aldaz | aldō | aldą, -atō | aldai | aldôz | aldō |
| Acc. | aldanǭ | aldǭ | aldą, -atō | aldanz | aldōz | aldō |
| Gen. | aldas, -is | aldaizōz | aldas, -is | aldaizǫ̂ | aldaizǫ̂ | aldaizǫ̂ |
| Dat. | aldammai | aldaizōi | aldammai | aldaimaz | aldaimaz | aldaimaz |
| Inst. | aldanō | aldaizō | aldanō | aldaimiz | aldaimiz | aldaimiz |
Weak declension
| Case | Sg. Masc. | Sg. Fem. | Sg. Neut. | Pl. Masc. | Pl. Fem. | Pl. Neut. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nom. | aldô | aldǭ | aldô | aldaniz | aldōniz | aldōnō |
| Acc. | aldanų | aldōnų | aldô | aldanunz | aldōnunz | aldōnō |
| Gen. | aldiniz | aldōniz | aldiniz | aldanǫ̂ | aldōnǫ̂ | aldanǫ̂ |
| Dat. | aldini | aldōni | aldini | aldammaz | aldōmaz | aldammaz |
| Inst. | aldinē | aldōnē | aldinē | aldammiz | aldōmiz | aldammiz |
Descendants
-
*ald (Proto-West Germanic)
-
alt, ald (Old Dutch)
-
out (Middle Dutch)
- aad (Limburgish)
-
out (Middle Dutch)
-
alt, ald (Old Dutch)
-
*ald (Proto-West Germanic)
-
alt, ald (Old Dutch)
-
out (Middle Dutch)
-
oud, oudt (Dutch)
- ou, oud (Afrikaans)
- elde (West Flemish)
-
oud, oudt (Dutch)
-
out (Middle Dutch)
-
alt, ald (Old Dutch)
-
*ald (Proto-West Germanic)
-
eald, ald, eold, æld, eld (Old English)
-
old, eeld, eelde, eld, elde, holde, oold, olde, wolde, ald, awlde, eild, eald, yalde, yealde, yolde, yhold, yolle (Middle English)
- old (English)
- aald, auld (Scots)
-
old, eeld, eelde, eld, elde, holde, oold, olde, wolde, ald, awlde, eild, eald, yalde, yealde, yolde, yhold, yolle (Middle English)
-
eald, ald, eold, æld, eld (Old English)
-
*ald (Proto-West Germanic)
-
ald (Old Frisian)
- oold (Saterland Frisian)
- âld (West Frisian)
-
ald (Old Frisian)
-
*ald (Proto-West Germanic)
-
alt, ald (Old High German)
-
alt (Middle High German)
- altu, oalt, oalts, olt, àltà (Alemannic German)
- old (Bavarian)
- alt (Central Franconian)
- alt (German)
- alt, all (Rhine Franconian)
- אַלט (alt) (Yiddish)
-
alt (Middle High German)
-
alt, ald (Old High German)
-
*ald (Proto-West Germanic)
-
ald (Old Saxon)
-
olt, old (Middle Low German)
- oolt (Plautdietsch)
-
olt, old (Middle Low German)
-
ald (Old Saxon)
-
*ald (Proto-West Germanic)
-
ald (Old Saxon)
-
olt, old (Middle Low German)
-
old (Low German)
-
old, oold, ol, oll, olt, oolt (Low German)
- oll (German)
-
old, oold, ol, oll, olt, oolt (Low German)
-
old (Low German)
-
olt, old (Middle Low German)
-
ald (Old Saxon)
-
aldinn (Old Norse)
- aldinn (Icelandic)
- 𐌰𐌻𐌸𐌴𐌹𐍃 (alþeis) (Gothic)
- alt (Crimean Gothic)