stæf

See also: Stäf

Middle English

Noun

stæf

1. (Early Middle English) Alternative form of staf

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Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *stabaz, whence also Old High German stab, Old Norse stafr.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /stæf/

Noun

stæf m (nominative plural stafas)

1. staff
   • c. 899, Alfred the Great, Psalm 23

     Þīn ġierd and þīn stæf mē āfrēfredon.

     Your rod and your staff comfort me.

2. (grammar) letter, written character
   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Midlent Sunday"

     On ōðre wīsan wē sċēawiaþ mētinge and on ōðre wīsan stafas. Ne gǣþ nā māre tō mētinge būtan þæt þū hit ġesēo and herġe. Nis nā ġenōg þæt þū stafas sċēawiġe būtan þū hīe ēac rǣde and þæt andġiet understande.

     We look at pictures in one way and letters in another. You don’t do anything with a painting except see it and praise it. Just looking at letters isn’t enough unless you also read them and understand the meaning.

Declension

Declension of stæf (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	stæf	stafas
accusative	stæf	stafas
genitive	stæfes	stafa
dative	stæfe	stafum

Derived terms

• ārstafas (“help, kindness”)
• bōcstæf (“letter”)
• stæflīċ
• wyrdstæf (“fate's fiat”)

Synonyms

• (letter): bōcstæf

Descendants

• Middle English: staf
  • Scots: staf, staff, staif, stave
  • English: staff, stave