eald
/æ͜ɑld/
The English phrase "old" can be translated into Old English as eald. Wiktionary also lists gamol.
Meaning: of a living being: having lived for relatively many years (adj)
Ways to say it
| Old English | IPA |
|---|---|
| eald | /æ͜ɑld/ |
| gamol | /ˈɡɑ.mol/ |
This term is used when describing a living being that has lived for relatively many years.
Which one should you use?
The pack provides two forms: eald and gamol.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form eald is the masculine nominative singular form of the adjective. When modifying a masculine noun in the accusative case, the form changes to ealdan.
How do you pronounce it?
/æɑld/
Did you know?
- The word eald shares a common ancestor with the Latin word altus, which means 'high' or 'tall'.
- While eald refers to age, the related word gamol carried a stronger connotation of being 'weak' or 'shaky'.
- In Old English, eald could be used to mean 'grown-up' or 'mature' rather than just 'aged'.
Examples in context
- Hū eald eart þū?How old are you?The first example is useful for asking someone their age using eald.
- Iċ eom eahtatīne ġear eald.I am 18 years old.The second example shows how to state your age using eald.Tatoeba #8557318 by Rawrren, translation #1103301 by benthomas
- Sē ealda fæder rædde his nēfum spell.The old grandfather read his grandchildren a story.The third example illustrates the use of eald when describing a grandfather.Tatoeba #13856643 by rul, translation #13847133 by rul
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a family member.
- ÆthelflædIs þīn brōðor eald?Is your brother old?
- EadricNā, hē is ġeong.No, he is young.
- ÆthelflædHū eald is hē?How old is he?
- EadricHē is tēon ġear eald.He is ten years old.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “old” translations and entries eald, gamol, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries eald, gamol, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
