User:Gilgamesh~enwiktionary/List of English words of Germanic origin with silent initial consonants
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Entries in italic are probable (but not certainly attested) cases.
gn
[edit]hl
[edit]- ladder (< M.E. laddre < O.E. hlǣder)
- lade, laden (< M.E. laden < O.E. hladan)
- ladle (< M.E. ladel < O.E. hlædel)
- lady, ladies (< M.E. ladie, ladi < lavedi < O.E. hlǣfdīge, hlǣfdige)
- lank (< M.E. lanc < O.E. hlanc)
- lathe (shape) (? < O.N. hlaða)
- laugh (< M.E. laughen < O.E. Anglian hlæhhan, hlæhan)
- laughter (< O.E. hleahtor)
- lean (incline) (< M.E. lenen < O.E. hleonian, hlinian)
- lean (thin) (< M.E. lene < O.E. hlǣne)
- leap, leapt (< M.E. lepen < O.E. hlēapan)
- lee (shelter) (< O.E. hlēow, hlēo)
- leer (look) (< M.E. ler < O.E. hlēor)
- lid (< O.E. hlid)
- link (< M.E. linke, link < O.Dan. lænkia < O.N. hlenkr)
- loaf, loaves (< M.E. loof, lof < O.E. hlāf)
- lop (flea) (? < O.N. *hloppa < hlaupa)
- lord (< M.E. lord, loverd < O.E. hlāford, hlāfweard)
- lot (< O.E. hlot)
- loud (< O.E. hlūd)
- Louis, Louise, Lou (< F. Louis < O.F. Loois < Med.L. Ludovicus < O.H.G. Hluodowig)
hn
[edit]- nap (sleep) (< M.E. nappen < O.E. hnappian)
- nap (fiber) (< M.E. noppe < O.E. -hnoppa)
- neck (< M.E. nekke < O.E. hnecca)
- neigh (< M.E. neyghen, neyen < O.E. hnǣgan)
- nick (? < O.E. gehnycned or O.N. hnykla)
- niggard (< M.E. nyggard, nygart < Scand. ? < P.Gmc. *hnauwjaz + -ard)
- nit (< M.E. nite < O.E. hnitu)
- nod (< M.E. nodde < ? < P.Gmc. *hnudojanan)
- nut (< M.E. nute < O.E. hnutu)
hr
[edit]- ranch (< Sp. rancho < ranchear < O.F. ranger < rang < Frankish hring)
- range (< O.F. < rangier < reng < Frankish hring)
- rank (order) (< O.F. ranc < Frankish hring)
- rathe (< O.E. hræth, hræd)
- rather (< O.E. hraþor)
- raven (< O.E. hrǣfn)
- raw (< O.E. hrēaw, hrǣw)
- reed (< O.E. hrēod)
- reel (< M.E. rele < O.E. hrēol)
- ridge (< M.E. rigge < O.E. hrycg)
- ring (circle) (< O.E. hring)
- ring, rang, rung (sound) (< M.E. ringen < O.E. hringan)
- rink (? < M.E. Scots renc, reng < M.F. renc < Frankish hring)
- roast (< O.F. rostir < Frankish *hraustjan)
- Robert, Roberta, Rob, Robby, Robbie, Bob, Bobby, Bobbie (< O.F. < O.H.G. Hrōdberht)
- Roger, Rog, Hodge (< O.F. Rogier < O.H.G. Hrotger)
- roof (< O.E. hrōf)
- rook (< M.E. roke, rok < O.E. hrōc)
- roost (< O.E. hrōst)
- rue (< M.E. rewen < O.E. hrēowan)
- ruffle (< M.E. ruffelen < ? < O.N. hrufla or L.G. ruffelen)
- ruth (< M.E. reuthe = rue+-th)
hw
[edit]This section excludes words with a wh- spelling, because the wine-whine merger is not universal. However, this section does include words with a simple w- spelling that were coined in accents with the wine-whine merger.
kn
[edit]- knack
- knap
- knapsack
- knave
- knead
- knee, kneel, knelt
- knell
- knickers
- knife, knives
- knight
- knit
- knob
- knock
- knoll
- knot
- know, knew, known, knowledge
- knub, nub
- knuckle
- nog (wood) (? < knag)
- nudge (< var. of knidge, nidge)
- nugget (? < var. of nug < nog < ? < knag)
wl
[edit]wr
[edit]- root (of plants) (< O.E. rōt < O.N. rōt < P.Gmc. *wrōt)
- root (turn up) (< wroot)
- wraith
- wrangle
- wrap
- wrath
- wreak
- wreath, wreathe
- wreck, wrack, rack (wrack)
- wren
- wrench
- wrestle, wrastle, rastle, rassle
- wretch
- wright, wrought
- wring, wrung
- wrinkle
- wrist
- write, wrote, written, writ
- writhe
- wrong
- wroth
- wry