athel

== English == === Alternative forms === athil, athill aethel, æthel ethel === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈæθəl/, /ˈeɪθəl/ === Etymology 1 === From Middle English athel, ethel, hathel (“noble; nobleman, hero”), from Old English æþele (“noble”), from Proto-West Germanic *aþulī, from Proto-Germanic *aþulijaz (“of noble birth, noble”), from *aþalą (“nature; nobility”). ==== Adjective ==== athel (comparative more athel, superlative most athel) (obsolete) noble, highborn (obsolete) excellent, splendid, fine (obsolete) genuine, sincere, devout ==== Noun ==== athel (plural athels) (obsolete) A chief or lord. ===== Derived terms ===== === Etymology 2 === From Arabic أَثَل (ʔaṯal). ==== Noun ==== athel (plural athels) A kind of tamarisk native to northern Africa and the Middle East, Tamarix aphylla, planted widely elsewhere as a shade tree and a windbreak due to its tolerance of heat and of alkaline soils, but tending to become invasive outside of its native range. === Anagrams === Leath, ethal, lathe == Middle English == === Alternative forms === athell, atel, atell, athill, athil, aghil, æðel, æþel, æthel, eðel, eþel, ethel === Etymology === From Old English æþele, æðele, eþele, from Proto-West Germanic *aþuli, from Proto-Germanic *aþalaz. Cognate with Old High German adal (German edel), Old Norse aðall. === Adjective === athel noble, highborn excellent, splendid, fine genuine, sincere, devout === Example === Æthelweard of East Anglia - Predecessor of St Edmund - “Noble guardian” Æthelwulf – King Alfred’s father, "Noble wolf" Æthelswith, Queen of Mercia - wife of Burgred of Mercia (the king before Ceolwulf II) , “Noble strength” or “nobly strong” Æthelstan, King of Kent - "Noble stone" Æthelbald, King of Wessex - "Nobly bold" or "noble and brave" Æthelberht, King of Wessex - "Nobly bright / illustrious noble" Æthelred I of Wessex - Alfred’s brother and predecessor, "noble counsel" Æthelwold - Æthelred I's son , “Noble ruler” or “noble power” Æthelstan- Guthrum's catholic name Æthelflæd, lady of the Mercians - Alfred’s daughter , "Noble beauty / noble grace" Æthelred, Lord of the Mercians - Æthelflæd's husband Æthelhelm - father of Ælfflæd (wife of Edward the Elder) ,"Noble protector” or “noble helmet" Æthelstan - son of Edward the Elder === See also === Ælf Ead wulf Beorht/Briht ==== Descendants ==== English: athel === Further reading === “ā̆thel, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.