wrecca

Old English

Alternative forms

• wræċċa

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *wrakkjō. Cognate with Old Saxon wrekkio, Old High German recko (German Recke (“warrior”)).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwret.t͡ʃɑ/

Noun

wreċċa m

1. exile, outcast
   • 10th century, The Seafarer:

     Þæt sē mon ne wāt þe him on foldan fæġrost limpeð, hū iċ earmċeariġ īsċealdne sǣ winter wunade wræċċan lāstum, winemǣgum bidroren, bihongen hrīmġiċelum; hæġl sċūrum flēag.

     The man does not know that who befalls most fairly on land, how wretched I dwelt winter on ice-cold sea by outcast’s paths, bereft of kinsmen, behung with frost-icicles; hail flew by showers.

Usage notes

• This word refers to a person who is exiled. The word for the state of being exiled is wræc.

Declension

Weak:

	singular	plural
nominative	wreċċa	wreċċan
accusative	wreċċan	wreċċan
genitive	wreċċan	wreċċena
dative	wreċċan	wreċċum

Descendants

• Middle English: wrecche
  • English: wretch
  • Scots: wratch, wretch, werch, warch