bilewit

Middle English

Alternative forms

• bilewitte, bilehwit, bilewhit

Etymology

From a conflation of Old English bilewit (“innocent, simple”) and bilehwīt (“simple, honest, sincere”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbiləˌhwiːt/, /ˈbiləˌwit/

Adjective

bilewit

1. simple, innocent

Related terms

• bilewitnesse

References

• “bile-whīt, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Old English

Alternative forms

• belewit, bilewet, bylewit, bylwet, bylwit, bylywit

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *biliwit- (“gentle-minded”), from Proto-Germanic *biliz (“merciful, kind”) (from Proto-Indo-European *bʰil- (“decent, good”)) + Proto-Germanic *witją (“mind, wit”) (from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“to know”)), equivalent to Old English bile- + witt. Related to Middle High German bilwiz (“genius, mischievous person, goblin, witch”), unbil (“unbecoming, improper”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbi.le.wit/

Adjective

bilewit (superlative bilewitust)

1. innocent, simple
   • Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church

     On ðām tīman wæs sum þėgen Drihtelm ġehāten, on Norðhymbra lande, bilewite on andgyte, ġemetegod on ðēawum, ārfæst on līfe, and his hīwrǣdene tō ðām ylcan ġewissode.

     At that time there was a certain servant living in Northumbria, called Drihtelm, who was innocent of mind, temperate of character, righteous in life, and instructed his household on how to do the same.

2. calm, gentle
3. merciful, gracious
4. plausible

Declension

Declension of bilewit — Strong

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	bilewit	bilewitu, bilewito	bilewit
Accusative	bilewitne	bilewite	bilewit
Genitive	bilewites	bilewitre	bilewites
Dative	bilewitum	bilewitre	bilewitum
Instrumental	bilewite	bilewitre	bilewite
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	bilewite	bilewita, bilewite	bilewitu, bilewito
Accusative	bilewite	bilewita, bilewite	bilewitu, bilewito
Genitive	bilewitra	bilewitra	bilewitra
Dative	bilewitum	bilewitum	bilewitum
Instrumental	bilewitum	bilewitum	bilewitum

Declension of bilewit — Weak

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	bilewita	bilewite	bilewite
Accusative	bilewitan	bilewitan	bilewite
Genitive	bilewitan	bilewitan	bilewitan
Dative	bilewitan	bilewitan	bilewitan
Instrumental	bilewitan	bilewitan	bilewitan
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	bilewitan	bilewitan	bilewitan
Accusative	bilewitan	bilewitan	bilewitan
Genitive	bilewitra, bilewitena	bilewitra, bilewitena	bilewitra, bilewitena
Dative	bilewitum	bilewitum	bilewitum
Instrumental	bilewitum	bilewitum	bilewitum

Derived terms

• bilewitnes

Related terms

• bilehwīt

Descendants

• Middle English: bilewit