Reconstruction:Old English/bifren

This Old English entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *bibrīnaz, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰebʰriHnos, equivalent to befer +‎ -en. Cognate with Old High German bibarīn and Latin fibrīnus. Compare biren, fyxen, gǣten, swīnen, wylfen, and ytren.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbif.ren/, [ˈbiv.ren]

Adjective

*bifren

1. (relational) beaver; of or relating to beavers
2. made of a beaver's fur or pelt: beaverskin

Usage notes

• In Middle English, attested describing someone's hat: He toc his beverene hat = Old English Hē nam his bifrenan hætt ("He took his beaverskin hat").

Declension

Declension of *bifren — Strong

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	*bifren	*bifrenu, *bifreno	*bifren
Accusative	*bifrenne	*bifrene	*bifren
Genitive	*bifrenes	*bifrenre	*bifrenes
Dative	*bifrenum	*bifrenre	*bifrenum
Instrumental	*bifrene	*bifrenre	*bifrene
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	*bifrene	*bifrena, *bifrene	*bifrenu, *bifreno
Accusative	*bifrene	*bifrena, *bifrene	*bifrenu, *bifreno
Genitive	*bifrenra	*bifrenra	*bifrenra
Dative	*bifrenum	*bifrenum	*bifrenum
Instrumental	*bifrenum	*bifrenum	*bifrenum

Declension of *bifren — Weak

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	*bifrena	*bifrene	*bifrene
Accusative	*bifrenan	*bifrenan	*bifrene
Genitive	*bifrenan	*bifrenan	*bifrenan
Dative	*bifrenan	*bifrenan	*bifrenan
Instrumental	*bifrenan	*bifrenan	*bifrenan
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	*bifrenan	*bifrenan	*bifrenan
Accusative	*bifrenan	*bifrenan	*bifrenan
Genitive	*bifrenra, *bifrenena	*bifrenra, *bifrenena	*bifrenra, *bifrenena
Dative	*bifrenum	*bifrenum	*bifrenum
Instrumental	*bifrenum	*bifrenum	*bifrenum

Descendants

• Middle English: beveren