grædig
The English word "greedy" is translated into Old English as grædig.
grædig is an adjective used to describe someone or something that is having greed or is consumed by selfish desires.
Meaning: having greed, consumed by selfish desires (adj)
Did you know?
- Its Gothic relative grēdags simply meant 'hungry', and grædig itself could still mean 'hungry' or 'eager' as well as 'greedy'.
- The word grædig is a linguistic relative of the modern Danish word grådig. Despite centuries of separation, the core sound and meaning have remained remarkably stable across these North Sea languages.
Examples in context
- Hē is swīðe grædig on mete.He is very greedy with food.
Example conversation
Osric and Wulfrun discuss a neighbor who wants all the crops.
- OsricHē wile ealle þā æceras habban.He wants to have all the fields.
- WulfrunGēa, se mann is swīþe grædig.Yes, the man is very greedy.
- OsricHwæt sculon wē dōn?What shall we do?
- WulfrunWē sculon his gītsunge wiþstandan.We must stand against his greed.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries grædig, CC BY-SA 4.0.
