hlæfdige
/ˈxlæːfˌdiː.je/
Lady in Old English is hlæfdige, a polite word for a woman.
hlæfdige means a lady or the mistress of a household. It is also used to address a woman directly.
Meaning: polite: woman (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
hlæfdige is a compound of hlāf, bread and an element meaning kneader, so it literally means bread kneader. It is the ancestor of the modern word lady.
Which one should you use?
cwēn was a formal term for a lady that also meant queen. frēoðuwebbe was a formal way to refer to a lady of high social rank.
How does it change in a sentence?
hlæfdige is a feminine singular noun.
How do you pronounce it?
hlæfdige is pronounced /ˈxlæːfˌdiː.je/, in three syllables with the main stress on the first. The h before l is sounded.
Did you know?
- The term frēoðuwebbe was used for a lady of high rank and literally means 'peace-weaver'.
- The word 'lord' is the direct masculine counterpart to hlæfdige, as both terms originally described people responsible for providing bread in a household.
- The word hlæfdige is closely related to the modern English word 'dough' via the element dǣġe, meaning 'kneader'.
Examples in context
- The Anglo-Saxon version of the story of Apollonius of Tyre
Đā ġewearþ hit þæt þǣs mǣdenes fōstormōdor intō þām būre ēode, ⁊ ġeseah hī ðār sittan on miċelre ġedrēfednesse, ⁊ hire cwæð tō, "Hwiġ eart þū hlǣfdiġe swā ġedrēfedes mōdes?"It happened that the girl's foster mother came into the room and saw her sitting full of confusion, and said to her "Lady, why are you so troubled of mind?."hlǣfdiġe is used here to address the girl directly. - Sēo hlæfdige is gōd.The lady is good.
Example conversation
A servant greets a noblewoman in the hall.
- WulfrunWēlac, hēr is sēo hlæfdige.Wulfrun, the lady is here.
- ÆthelstanIc geseah hīe cuman.I saw her coming.
- WulfrunSēċ hlæfdige nū.Seek the lady now.
- ÆthelstanIc gā nū.I am going now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry hlæfdige, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hlæfdige, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
