þerna

Icelandic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈθɛrtna/
• Rhymes: -ɛrtna

Etymology 1

From Old Norse þerna.

Noun

þerna f (genitive singular þernu, nominative plural þernur)

1. maid, girl, female servant
2. attendant, stewardess

Etymology 2

From Old Norse þerna.

Noun

þerna f (genitive singular þernu, nominative plural þernur)

1. tern

Hyponyms

• kría (“arctic tern”)

Old Norse

Etymology 1

Related to sense 2 (“maid servant”).

Noun

þerna f

2. tern

Declension

  Declension of þerna (weak ōn-stem)

feminine	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	þerna	þernan	þernur	þernurnar
accusative	þernu	þernuna	þernur	þernurnar
dative	þernu	þernunni	þernum	þernunum
genitive	þernu	þernunnar	þernna	þernnanna

Descendants

• Icelandic: þerna
• Faroese: terna
• Norwegian Bokmål: terne m or f
• Norwegian Nynorsk: terne f
• Swedish: tärna c
• Danish: tærne c

References

• þerna in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, G. T. Zoëga, Clarendon Press, 1910, at Internet Archive.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “tern”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Old Saxon thiorna.

Noun

þerna f

2. maid servant

Declension

  Declension of þerna (weak ōn-stem)

feminine	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	þerna	þernan	þernur	þernurnar
accusative	þernu	þernuna	þernur	þernurnar
dative	þernu	þernunni	þernum	þernunum
genitive	þernu	þernunnar	þernna	þernnanna

Descendants

• Icelandic: þerna
• Faroese: terna
• Norwegian:
  • Norwegian Bokmål: terne m or f
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: terne f
• Old Swedish: thærna
  • Swedish: tärna c
• Danish: tærne
• →? Middle English: therne, thierne, tharne, tarne
  • >? English: tern, tarn

References

• þerna in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, G. T. Zoëga, Clarendon Press, 1910, at Internet Archive.