hwæl
/xwæl/masculine
The Old English word for whale is hwæl.
The term refers to a large sea mammal.
Meaning: large sea mammal (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
hwæl is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/xwæl/
Did you know?
- Old English poets often used 'whale-road' as a kenning, a metaphorical compound word, to describe the ocean.
- The Old English word hwæl is actually a distant relative of the Latin word squalus, which means 'shark'.
- The 'hw' spelling in hwæl represents a sound that was once a distinct breathy aspiration before the 'w' sound.
Examples in context
- Se hwæl is on þǣm wætere.The whale is in the water.
Example conversation
Two people are looking at the ocean from a cliff.
- EadgythLōca, Æþelstan! Hwæl cymþ!Look, Æthelstan! A whale is coming!
- ÆthelstanHē is swīðe mīċel, Eadgyþ.He is very large, Eadgyth.
- EadgythHē swimmeþ hider.He is swimming here.
- ÆthelstanSē hwæl is wundorlic.The whale is wonderful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “whale” translations and entries hwæl, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hwæl, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
