mæw

Old English

Alternative forms

• mēu, mēw, mēau, mēaw
• mǣƿ — wynn spelling

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *maiwiz, a byform of Proto-Germanic *maiwaz. Cognate with West Frisian meau, miuw, Old Saxon mēu (Middle Low German meve, from which German Möwe), Dutch meeuw, Old Norse már, mór.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mæːw/

Noun

mǣw m

1. gull, seagull

   On gōdum dæġe ic ġefō crabban and telle mǣwas.

   On a good day, I catch crabs and count seagulls.

   Mīn ealdfæder samnode mǣwa ǣġru oþ þæt ǣne dæġe sume mǣwas his ēagan ūt āhaccodon.

   My grandfather used to collect seagull eggs until one day some seagulls pecked out his eyes.

Declension

Declension of mæw (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	mǣw	mǣwas
accusative	mǣw	mǣwas
genitive	mǣwes	mǣwa
dative	mǣwe	mǣwum

Descendants

• Middle English: mewe, mawe, mowe
  • Scots: maw (through confluence with Old Norse form)
  • English: mew
  • → Old French: maoe, mave, mauve
    • French: mauve
    • Old French: moette
      • French: mouette