fredom

Middle English

Alternative forms

• fredome, freedom, freedome, freodom

Etymology

Inherited from Old English frēodōm, from Proto-West Germanic *frijadōm; equivalent to fre +‎ -dom.

Pronunciation

• (Early ME) IPA^(key): /ˈfrøːdoːm/
• IPA^(key): /ˈfreːdoːm/
• (with reduction) IPA^(key): /ˈfreːdum/, /ˈfreːdam/

Noun

fredom (plural fredomes)

1. freedom, liberty
   • c. 1375, “Book I”, in Iohne Barbour, De geſtis bellis et uirtutibus domini Roberti de Brwyß […] (The Brus, Advocates MS. 19.2.2)‎^[1], Ouchtirmunſye: Iohannes Ramſay, published 1489, folio 2, recto, lines 225-228; republished at Edinburgh: National Library of Scotland, c. 2010:

     A fredome is a noble thing / fredome mayß man to haiff liking / fredome all ſolace to ma[n] giffis / He levys at eß [that] frely levys

     Oh, freedom is a noble thing: / it allows people to get enjoyment / and provides all of humanity's peace. / If you live free, you live at ease!

2. nationhood, independence
3. free action, free will
4. generosity, charitableness
5. right, privilege (or a set of them)
6. authority, freedom to act

Descendants

• English: freedom
• Scots: freedom

References

• “frẹ̄dọ̄̆m, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-03-24.