How to Say “Eagle” in Old English

By Carly Crystal • Updated October 2, 2026

earn

/æ͜ɑrn/masculine

The Old English word for eagle is earn.

earn refers to any of several large carnivorous birds belonging to the family Accipitridae.

Meaning: any of several large carnivorous birds in the family Accipitridae (noun)

How does it change in a sentence?

earn is a masculine noun.

How do you pronounce it?

/æɑrn/

Did you know?

While we use 'eagle' today, an Old English poet might have used various kennings, or metaphorical descriptions, to refer to an 'earn' without ever saying the word itself.
In Old English battle poetry the earn is one of the 'beasts of battle', gathering with the wolf and the raven to feed on the slain.

Example sentences for Old English are not verified yet.

Example conversation

Two people are watching birds in the forest.

Æthelstan

Hwæt is þes earn?
What is this eagle?
Wulfrun

Þæt is cynelic earn.
It is a royal eagle.
Æthelstan

Se earn is swīðe micel.
The eagle is very large.
Wulfrun

Gēa, hē is mægenlic.
Yes, he is magnificent.

Sources

Wiktionary, “eagle” translations and entries earn, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.

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About The Author

Carly Crystal

Hwæt! I'm Carly, a hobbie-þrall. I find delight in þe Old English leid, seeking ways to bridge þe gap between then and now. My posts delve deep into the roots of our tongue, helping others unlock its secrets too. When I'm not wrapped up in linguistic lore, you may find me nurturing my wyrt-tun, or perhaps sketching ða eorðan's wonders. Life's a journey, mine is among words and phrases of yore.

Carly CrystalHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.

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