*aþalaz
Runic: ᚨᚦᚨᛚᚨᛉ Pronunciation: /ˈɑ.θɑ.lɑz/adjective · a-stem
Meanings
noble; of noble birth or lineage.
Etymology
A denominal adjective from *aþalą. The Germanic evidence points to an older sense ‘ancestral, inherited’, whence ‘of noble birth, noble’ (Heidermanns 1993: 107–109; Orel 2003: 27). The Proto-Indo-European origin belongs with the base noun and remains uncertain. The traditional extra-Germanic comparisons are problematic (Lloyd & Springer 1988: s.v. adal¹), and recent work still treats *aþal- as lacking a secure Indo-European etymology: Seebold (2017: 980) includes German reflex Adel (< *aþalą) among Common Germanic words lacking a plausible extra-Germanic etymology.
Declension
Strong declension
| Case | Sg. Masc. | Sg. Fem. | Sg. Neut. | Pl. Masc. | Pl. Fem. | Pl. Neut. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nom. | aþalaz | aþalō | aþalą, -atō | aþalai | aþalôz | aþalō |
| Acc. | aþalanǭ | aþalǭ | aþalą, -atō | aþalanz | aþalōz | aþalō |
| Gen. | aþalas, -is | aþalaizōz | aþalas, -is | aþalaizǫ̂ | aþalaizǫ̂ | aþalaizǫ̂ |
| Dat. | aþalammai | aþalaizōi | aþalammai | aþalaimaz | aþalaimaz | aþalaimaz |
| Inst. | aþalanō | aþalaizō | aþalanō | aþalaimiz | aþalaimiz | aþalaimiz |
Weak declension
| Case | Sg. Masc. | Sg. Fem. | Sg. Neut. | Pl. Masc. | Pl. Fem. | Pl. Neut. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nom. | aþalô | aþalǭ | aþalô | aþalaniz | aþalōniz | aþalōnō |
| Acc. | aþalanų | aþalōnų | aþalô | aþalanunz | aþalōnunz | aþalōnō |
| Gen. | aþaliniz | aþalōniz | aþaliniz | aþalanǫ̂ | aþalōnǫ̂ | aþalanǫ̂ |
| Dat. | aþalini | aþalōni | aþalini | aþalammaz | aþalōmaz | aþalammaz |
| Inst. | aþalinē | aþalōnē | aþalinē | aþalammiz | aþalōmiz | aþalammiz |
Descendants
-
*aþal (Proto-West Germanic)
-
*athal (Old Dutch)
-
adel (Middle Dutch)
-
adel (Dutch)
- adel (Afrikaans)
-
adel (Dutch)
-
adel (Middle Dutch)
-
*athal (Old Dutch)
-
*aþal (Proto-West Germanic)
-
*athel, *ethel (Old Frisian)
- Oadel (Saterland Frisian)
- adel (West Frisian)
-
*athel, *ethel (Old Frisian)
-
*aþal (Proto-West Germanic)
-
adal (Old High German)
-
adel (Middle High German)
- Adel (German)
- אַדל (adl) (Yiddish)
-
adel (Middle High German)
-
adal (Old High German)
-
*aþal (Proto-West Germanic)
-
*athal (Old Saxon)
-
adel, adele, addel (Middle Low German)
- Adel (Low German)
- adel (Norwegian)
- adel (Swedish)
-
adel, adele, addel (Middle Low German)
-
*athal (Old Saxon)
-
aðall (Old Norse)
- aðal (Faroese)
-
aðall (Old Norse)
-
aþal, aþul, aþol, aþel, aþil (Old Swedish)
-
aþalrūna, aþulrūna (Old Swedish)
- adalruna (Swedish)
-
aþalrūna, aþulrūna (Old Swedish)
-
aþal, aþul, aþol, aþel, aþil (Old Swedish)