þerna

Icelandic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈθɛrtna/
• Rhymes: -ɛrtna

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Norse þerna.

Noun

þerna f (genitive singular þernu, nominative plural þernur)

1. maid, girl, female servant
2. attendant, stewardess

Declension

Declension of þerna (feminine)

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	þerna	þernan	þernur	þernurnar
accusative	þernu	þernuna	þernur	þernurnar
dative	þernu	þernunni	þernum	þernunum
genitive	þernu	þernunnar	þerna	þernanna

Etymology 2

From Old Norse þerna.

Noun

þerna f (genitive singular þernu, nominative plural þernur)

1. tern

Declension

Declension of þerna (feminine)

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	þerna	þernan	þernur	þernurnar
accusative	þernu	þernuna	þernur	þernurnar
dative	þernu	þernunni	þernum	þernunum
genitive	þernu	þernunnar	þerna	þernanna

Hyponyms

• kría (“arctic tern”)

Old Norse

Etymology 1

Related to sense 2 (“maid servant”).

Noun

þerna f

2. tern

Declension

  Declension of þerna (weak ōn-stem)

feminine	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	þerna	þernan	þernur	þernurnar
accusative	þernu	þernuna	þernur	þernurnar
dative	þernu	þernunni	þernum	þernunum
genitive	þernu	þernunnar	þernna	þernnanna

Descendants

• Icelandic: þerna
• Faroese: terna
• Norwegian Bokmål: terne m or f
• Norwegian Nynorsk: terne f
• Swedish: tärna c
• Danish: tærne c

Further reading

• Zoëga, Geir T. (1910) “þerna”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press, page 510; also available at the [https://archive.org/stream/concisedictionar001857

1. page/510 Internet Archive]

• Douglas Harper (2001–2025) “tern”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Old Saxon thiorna.

Noun

þerna f

2. maid servant

Declension

  Declension of þerna (weak ōn-stem)

feminine	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	þerna	þernan	þernur	þernurnar
accusative	þernu	þernuna	þernur	þernurnar
dative	þernu	þernunni	þernum	þernunum
genitive	þernu	þernunnar	þernna	þernnanna

Descendants

• Icelandic: þerna
• Faroese: terna
• Norwegian:
  • Norwegian Bokmål: terne m or f
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: terne f
• Old Swedish: thærna
  • Swedish: tärna c
• Danish: tærne
• →? Middle English: therne, thierne, tharne, tarne
  • >? English: tern, tarn

Further reading

• Zoëga, Geir T. (1910) “þerna”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press, page 510; also available at the [https://archive.org/stream/concisedictionar001857

1. page/510 Internet Archive]