æghwæþer

Old English

Alternative forms

• ǣġþer, āðer (contraction)

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *aiwon (“always”) ( > Old English ā) + *gahwaþera (“each”) (> Old English ġehwæþer). Cognate with Old Saxon eogihwethar, Old High German eogihwedar.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈæːjˌxwæ.θer/, [ˈæːjˌʍæ.ðer]

Pronoun

ǣġhwæþer

1. each (of two)

Descendants

• Middle English: either, æȝþer, ethir, eiþer, outher
  • English: either
  • Scots: aither