byrdling
/ˈbyrd.linɡ/masculine
The Old English word for turtle is byrdling.
The term refers to a land or marine reptile with a shell.
Meaning: land or marine reptile with a shell (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine noun byrdling becomes byrdlingas in its plural form to mean turtles.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable. The IPA is /ˈbyrd.linɡ/.
Did you know?
- In many related languages like German and Dutch, the word for turtle is a compound of the words for 'shield' and 'toad'.
Example sentences for Old English are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Eadgyth and Eadric are walking along the beach.
- EadgythHwæt is þis on sande, Eadric?What is this on the sand, Eadric?
- EadricÞis is litel byrdling.This is a little turtle.
- EadgythIs se byrdling of þisse stōwe?Is the turtle from this place?
- EadricIċ ne wāt, Eadgyth.I do not know, Eadgyth.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “turtle” translations and entries byrdling, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries byrdling, CC BY-SA 4.0.
