eldertongue

Old English · noun

ealdor

Part of speech
noun, masculine
Declension
strong a-stem
IPA
/ˈæ͜ɑl.dor/
[ˈæ͜ɑɫ.dor]
Syllables
ˈæ͜ɑl · dor (2 syllables)
Modern English
seniorancestorspartsvitalderivationelderauthorlife

ealdor1 · noun · masculine

Senses

  1. elder, parent, head of a family; senior man

  2. chief, lord, leader, master

    ealdorapostol

    chief-apostle

  3. prince, king

    ealdorbotl

    palace

  4. author; source, origin, authority, derivation

  5. ancestors

    Þis syndon þā dōmas ðe Hloþhære ⁊ Ēadrīc, Cantwara cyningas, asetton. Hloþhære ⁊ Ēadrīc, Cantwara cyningas, ēcton þā ǣ, þā ðe heora aldoras ǣr ġeworhten, ðyssum dōmum þe hȳr efter sæġeþ.

    These are the laws that Hlothhere and Eadric, kings of Kent, laid down. Hlothhere and Eadric, kings of Kent, added these laws listed hereafter to the laws their ancestors created.

    Laws of Hlothhere and Eadric

  6. elder

Declension · strong a-stem

Declension of ealdor
SingularPlural
Nominative ealdorealdras
Accusative ealdorealdras
Genitive ealdresealdra
Dative ealdreealdrum

ealdor2 · noun · neuter

Senses

  1. life, the vital parts of the body

    ealdorċearu

    care of life

  2. age, old age; eternity

    ealdorlang

    eternal

Declension · strong a-stem

Declension of ealdor
SingularPlural
Nominative ealdorealdor
Accusative ealdorealdor
Genitive ealdresealdra
Dative ealdreealdrum

All forms (6)

Etymology

According to Bammesberger, who rejects a derivation from *h₂el- (“to grow”) + *-tōr (familial agentive suffix), a secondary masculine noun derived from Etymology 1.

From Proto-Germanic *aldrą (“life, age”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- (“to grow”). Cognate with Old Saxon aldar, Old High German altar, Old Norse aldr.

Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ealdor · CC BY-SA 4.0 licence · Attribution