swefn

Old English

Alternative forms

• sƿefn — wynn spelling

Etymology

(deprecated template usage)

From Proto-Germanic *swefnaz (“sleep, dream”), from Proto-Indo-European *swépnos. Cognate with Old Saxon sweƀan, Old Norse svefn. The Indo-European root also led to Ancient Greek ὕπνος (húpnos), Latin somnus, Old Irish suan, Old Church Slavonic сънъ (sŭnŭ), Russian сон (son), Lithuanian sãpnas.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /swefn/, [swevn]

Noun

swefn n

1. dream

   Iċ nǣfre ne ġeman mīn swefnu.

   I never remember my dreams.

Usage notes

"To have a dream" was expressed with the verb mǣtan (“to dream”), not habban (“to have”): Ġiestranniht mē mǣtte swefn þæt iċ wǣre fram wulfe forswolgen ("Last night I had [lit. dreamed] a dream that I was devoured by a wolf").

Declension

Declension of swefn (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	swefn	swefnu
accusative	swefn	swefnu
genitive	swefnes	swefna
dative	swefne	swefnum

Derived terms

• unswefn

Descendants

• Middle English: swevene, sweven
  • Scots: sweven, swevyn
  • English: sweven

See also

• mǣtan