hwelp

Middle English

Noun

hwelp

1. (Early Middle English) Alternative form of whelp

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Old English

Alternative forms

• hƿelp — wynn spelling

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *hwelpaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xwelp/, [ʍeɫp]

Noun

hwelp m

1. puppy

   Mīn hund nīwan hwelpode seofon hwelpas.

   My dog recently bore seven puppies.

   Ēalā, hū swēte hwelp!

   Oh, what a cute puppy!

   • c. 990, Wessex Gospels, Matthew 15:27

     Þā hwelpas etaþ of þǣm crumum þe of heora hlāforda bēodum feallaþ.

     The puppies eat from the crumbs that fall from their masters' tables.

2. cub, pup

   Ġiestrandæġ iċ ġeseah on wuda ǣnne fox mid his hwelpum.

   Yesterday I saw a fox with its cubs in the forest.

   Þā hwelpas meahton æt nīehstan leaxes onbierġan.

   The cubs finally got to taste salmon.

   • c. 900, the Old English Orosius

     Sēo lēo bringþ hungrigum hwelpum hwæt tō etanne.

     The lion brings hungry cubs something to eat.

   • The Life of Malchus

     Wē ġesāwon þā lēon on þǣm eorðsċræfe mid hiere hwelpum.

     We saw the lion in the cave with its cubs.

Declension

Declension of hwelp (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	hwelp	hwelpas
accusative	hwelp	hwelpas
genitive	hwelpes	hwelpa
dative	hwelpe	hwelpum

Derived terms

• hwelpian

Descendants

• Middle English: whelp, quelp, quelpe, qwelp, qwelpe, welp, welpe, whelpe; ȝwelp, hwelp, hweolp, whellp (Early Middle English)
  • English: whelp
  • Scots: whalp, whaulp

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Old Saxon

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *hwelpaz.

Noun

hwelp m

1. a whelp, pup