heofon

Old English

Alternative forms

• heben, heawen, hefen, hefon, heofan, heofen

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *hebun. Probably related to both Proto-West Germanic *himil and Proto-Germanic *himinaz, but the origins of the relationship are mysterious.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈxe͜o.fon/, [ˈhe͜o.von]

Noun

heofon m

1. the sky
   • late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Boethius' The Consolation of Philosophy

     Sē heofon bringþ lēohte dagas and eft behileþ þæt lēoht mid þīestrum.

     The sky brings bright days and then hides the light with darkness.

2. heaven

Declension

Declension of heofon (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	heofon	heofonas
accusative	heofon	heofonas
genitive	heofones	heofona
dative	heofone	heofonum

Derived terms

• heofonlīċ
• heofonrīċe

Descendants

• Middle English: heven
  • English: heaven
  • Scots: heiven