earfoþe

== Old English == === Alternative forms === earfeþe, earfod === Etymology === From Proto-West Germanic *arbaiþi, from Proto-Germanic *arbaidiz (“hardship”), from a verb *arbijaną, *arbāną (“be orphaned”). Compare Old English ierfa. See also Proto-Indo-European *h₃órbʰos, whence Ancient Greek ὀρφανός (orphanós), Latin orbus, Old Church Slavonic рабъ (rabŭ, “slave”). Cognate with Old Frisian arbēd, Old Saxon arƀed, arvēd, Old Dutch arbeit (Dutch arbeid), Old High German arbeit (German Arbeit (“work, labour”)), Old Norse erfiði (Swedish arvode (“salary”)), Gothic 𐌰𐍂𐌱𐌰𐌹𐌸𐍃 (arbaiþs). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈæ͜ɑr.fo.θe/, [ˈæ͜ɑrˠ.vo.θe] === Noun === earfoþe n (nominative plural earfoþu) work; labour suffering; hardship labour; pains; trouble; childbirth disease ==== Declension ==== Strong ja-stem: ==== Derived terms ==== earfoþþrāg === Adjective === earfoþe (comparative earfoþra, superlative earfoþost or earfoþest) hard, difficult c. 992, Ælfric, "The Assumption of St. John the Apostle" ==== Declension ==== ==== Antonyms ==== īeþe ==== Derived terms ==== earfoþnes ==== Descendants ==== Middle English: arveð