cealf

Old English

Alternative forms

• calf, celf, ċelf, ċielf
• cælf — Anglian

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *kalbaz. Cognate with Old Frisian *kalf, Old Saxon kalf, Old Dutch kalf, Old High German kalb. Also Old Norse kalfr, which was a masculine a-stem, and Gothic 𐌺𐌰𐌻𐌱𐍉 (kalbō), which was a feminine ōn-stem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t͡ʃæ͜ɑlf/, [t͡ʃæ͜ɑɫf]

Noun

ċealf n

1. calf (young cow)
2. veal
3. fawn

Usage notes

• The word for the body part (part of the leg) was spearlira.

Declension

Declension of ċealf (strong z-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	ċealf	ċealfru
accusative	ċealf	ċealfru
genitive	ċealfes	ċealfra
dative	ċealfe	ċealfrum

Derived terms

• ċealfian (of a cow or deer, “to give birth”)
• ċealfra hūs (“cow barn for calves”)
• cūċealf (“calf”)
• ġeċealf (“(of a cow or deer) pregnant”)
• hindċealf (“fawn”)

Descendants

• Middle English: calf, chalve, chelve, chalf, kelf
  • English: calf
  • Scots: cawf, cauf