æcer

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *akraz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵros (“field”). Cognate with Ancient Greek ᾰ̓γρός (agrós), Latin ager, Sanskrit ájra.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈæ.ker/

Noun

æcer m

  1. field (specifically one used to grow crops or hold farm animals)
    • c. 995, Ælfric, Extracts on Grammar in English
      Æcras faraþ on sumore, swā swā sǣ ȳðiġende.
      Fields move in the summer, rippling like the sea.
    • late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans
      On his æcre hē ēode and his sulh on handa hæfde.
      He was walking in his field with his hand to his plow.
    • c. 990, Wessex Gospels, Matthew 12:1
      Sē Hǣlend fōr on restedæġ ofer æcras. Sōðlīċe his leornungcneohtas hyngrede, and hīe ongunnon pluccian þā ēar and etan.
      Jesus was walking through fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began plucking ears of corn and eating them.
  2. acre (measure of land)
    • early 11th century, anonymous gloss of Ælfric's Latin Colloquy (c. 995)
      Ǣlċe dæġe iċ sċeal erian fulne æcer oþþe mā.
      Every day I have to plow a full acre or more.

Declension
Declension of æcer (strong a-stem)
Case Singular Plural
nominative æcer æcras
accusative æcer æcras
genitive æcres æcra
dative æcre æcrum

Derived terms
  • fleaxæcer

Descendants
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