cwen

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *kwēniz (“woman, wife”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷḗn. Cognate with Old Saxon quān, Old Norse kvæn, Gothic 𐌵𐌴𐌽𐍃 (qens). The Indo-European root is also the source of Ancient Greek γυνή (gunē), (Greek γυναίκα (gynaika)), Proto-Slavic *žena (Old Church Slavonic жена, Russian жена), Old Irish ben (Welsh benyw), and Albanian zonjë.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /kweːn/

Noun

cwēn f

1. woman

   Seo clæneste cwen ofer eorþan: the purest woman on earth.

2. wife
3. queen

   Aðelwulf cyng Carles dohtor hæfde to cwene: King Athelwulf took Charles's daughter as his queen.

Declension

    Declension of cwen (strong i-stem)

	Singular	Plural
nominative	cwēn	cwēne, cwēna
accusative	cwēn, cwēne	cwēne, cwēna
genitive	cwēne	cwēna
dative	cwēne	cwēnum

Related terms

• cwene (woman, wife, prostitute)

Descendants

• Middle English quene
• Modern English queen

See also

• English: quean