þorn

See also: thorn and Thorn

Icelandic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /θɔrtn/

  Rhymes: -ɔrtn

• IPA^(key): /θɔtn/

Noun

þorn n (genitive singular þorns, nominative plural þorn)

1. The name of the Latin-script letter Þ/þ.

Declension

declension of þorn

n-s	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	þorn	þornið	þorn	þornin
accusative	þorn	þornið	þorn	þornin
dative	þorni	þorninu	þornum	þornunum
genitive	þorns	þornsins	þorna	þornanna

---

Middle English

Noun

þorn

1. Alternative form of thorn

---

Old English

Alternative forms

• þyrn

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *þurnuz (“thorn, sloe”), from Proto-Indo-European *tr̥nós, from *(s)ter-. Germanic cognates include Old Saxon thorn (Low German Dorn, Doorn), Dutch doorn, Old High German thorn (German Dorn), Old Norse þorn (Swedish törne), Gothic 𐌸𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌽𐌿𐍃 (þaurnus). The Indo-European root is also the source of Old Church Slavonic трънъ (trŭnŭ) (Russian тёрн (tjorn, “sloe, blackthorn”), Slovak tŕň), Sanskrit तृण (tṛṇa, “grass”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /θorn/, [θorˠn]

Noun

þorn m

1. thorn; thorny bush
2. the runic character ᚦ (/θ/ or /ð/)
3. the letter Þ, þ (/θ/ or /ð/)

Declension

Declension of þorn (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	þorn	þornas
accusative	þorn	þornas
genitive	þornes	þorna
dative	þorne	þornum

Derived terms

• þorniġ

Descendants

• Middle English: thorn, thorne, thron, thurne, þorn, þorne, þron
  • English: thorn
  • Scots: thorn; torn (Shetland)
  • Yola: thoornes, thorns, thurns

---

Old Norse

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *þurnuz, whence also Old English þorn. From Proto-Indo-European *tr̥nós from *(s)ter- (“stiff”).

Noun

þorn m (genitive þorns, plural þornar)

1. (botany) thorn (= þyrnir m)
2. spike, esp. the tongue of a buckle, pin of a brooch

   þornar ok þistlar

   thorns and thistles

3. The letter Þ, þ

Declension

  Declension of þorn (strong a-stem)

masculine	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	þorn	þorninn	þornar	þornarnir
accusative	þorn	þorninn	þorna	þornana
dative	þorni	þorninum	þornum	þornunum
genitive	þorns	þornsins	þorna	þornanna

Derived terms

• þorngjǫrð f (“crown of thorns”)
• þornrunnr m (“thorn-bush”)

Descendants

• Icelandic: þorn
• Faroese: torn
• Old Swedish: þorn
  • Swedish: torn
• Norwegian: torn
• Danish: torn

References

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