Ways to say it
| Old English |
|---|
| fæġer |
| wlitiġ |
Both fæġer and wlitiġ are used to describe beauty, but they focus on different aspects of attractiveness. fæġer is generally used for things that are aesthetically pleasing, fair or lovely in a physical sense. In contrast, wlitiġ is used to depict physical beauty or an attractive appearance with a sense of splendor, glory or brightness, often describing something with a visible or radiant dignity.
Which one should you use?
fæġer is typically used to describe physical beauty, fairness or something that is aesthetically pleasing. wlitiġ carries a stronger connotation of being splendid, glorious or bright, often used for things that possess a visible or radiant dignity.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective fæġer must change its ending to match the gender, number and case of the noun it modifies. For example, the feminine or neuter singular form is fæġre.
Did you know?
- While fæġer describes something aesthetically pleasing, the word wlitiġ shares a root with the modern English word 'wealth', originally relating to a state of being or a person's appearance.
- In Old English poetry, the concept of beauty expressed by wlitiġ was often linked to light and visibility, reflecting a cultural connection between physical beauty and spiritual radiance.
- Old English used fæġer not just for looks, but to describe things that were 'fitting' or 'appropriate', similar to how 'fair' is used in the phrase 'a fair shake'.
Examples in context
- Þæt is fæger!That is beautiful!
- Heo wæs swiþe wlitigShe was very beautiful
- He blædsode þa burgHe beautified the city
- Seo is fæġer.She is beautiful.
- Hic is fæġer stæf.This is a beautiful letter.
- Mē is þæt fæġer.That is beautiful to me.
Example conversation
A couple is walking through a meadow.
- ÆthelstanLōca, Mildryth, þēos eorð is fæġer!Look, Mildryth, this earth is beautiful!
- MildrythĠē, Æthelstan, hit is swīðe fæġer.Yes, Æthelstan, it is very beautiful.
- ÆthelstanHēr sindon eac fæġre fuglas.There are also beautiful birds here.
- MildrythIc lufie þās fæġran þing.I love these beautiful things.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beautiful” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
