hefig

Middle English

Adjective

hefig

1. (chiefly Early Middle English) Alternative form of hevy

Old English

Alternative forms

• hæfiġ, hefeġ

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *habīgaz, from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂p- (“take, seize”). Germanic cognates include Old Saxon hevig, Dutch hevig, Old High German hebig, Old Norse hǫfigr. The Indo-European root is also the source of Latin capere, Old Irish cacht, Albanian kap (“grip”), Proto-Slavic *xopiti (Old Church Slavonic хапѭште (xapjǫšte), Russian ха́пать (xápatʹ)), Proto-Balto-Slavic *kap- (Lithuanian kàpteleti, Latvian kàmpt (“bite”)).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈxe.fij/, [ˈhe.vij]

Adjective

hefiġ (comparative hefiġra, superlative hefiġost or hefiġust or hefiġast)

1. heavy

   Eorþe is hefiġre ōðrum ġesceaftum ― earth is heavier than the other elements.

   • 10th century, The Wanderer:

     Þonne bēoð þȳ hefiġran · heortan benne,
     sāre æfter swǣsne. · Sorg bið ġenīwad,

     Then heart's wounds are heavier,
     painful after beloved. Sorrow is renewed

2. grievous, serious

   Hit is swīðe hefigu sċyld. ― It is a very serious crime.

3. important

Declension

Declension of hefiġ — Strong

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	hefiġ	hefiġ	hefiġ
Accusative	hefiġne	hefiġe	hefiġ
Genitive	hefiġes	hefiġre	hefiġes
Dative	hefiġum	hefiġre	hefiġum
Instrumental	hefiġe	hefiġre	hefiġe
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	hefiġe	hefiġa, hefiġe	hefiġ
Accusative	hefiġe	hefiġa, hefiġe	hefiġ
Genitive	hefiġra	hefiġra	hefiġra
Dative	hefiġum	hefiġum	hefiġum
Instrumental	hefiġum	hefiġum	hefiġum

Declension of hefiġ — Weak

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	hefiġa	hefiġe	hefiġe
Accusative	hefiġan	hefiġan	hefiġe
Genitive	hefiġan	hefiġan	hefiġan
Dative	hefiġan	hefiġan	hefiġan
Instrumental	hefiġan	hefiġan	hefiġan
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	hefiġan	hefiġan	hefiġan
Accusative	hefiġan	hefiġan	hefiġan
Genitive	hefiġra, hefiġena	hefiġra, hefiġena	hefiġra, hefiġena
Dative	hefiġum	hefiġum	hefiġum
Instrumental	hefiġum	hefiġum	hefiġum

Derived terms

• hefiġian
• hefiġlīċe
• hefiġnes

Related terms

• habban
• hebban
• hæft

Descendants

• Middle English: heviȝ, hevy
  • English: heavy
    • Sranan Tongo: hebi
  • Scots: hivie, hevy, havy