bearu

Old English

Alternative forms

• bearo

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *baru, from Proto-Germanic *barwaz (“tree, pine forest, grove”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbæ͜ɑ.ru/

Noun

bearu m

1. a grove or wood
   • 10th century, Exeter Book Riddle 30‎^[1]:

     Iċ eom līġbysiġ, lāce mid winde, bewunden mid wuldre, wedre ġesomnad, fūs forðweġes, fȳre ġemelted, bearu blōwende, byrnende glēd.

     I am busy with fire, sway with wind, wrapped with worship, gathered in good weather, ready to go forward, melted by fire, a blooming grove, a burning ember.

Declension

Strong wa-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	bearu	bearwas
accusative	bearu	bearwas
genitive	bearwes	bearwa
dative	bearwe	bearwum

Derived terms

• ācbearu
• æppelbearu
• bearunæs
• ġebearu
• sunbearu
• wudubearu

Descendants

• Middle English: berwe, barwe, berewe, barewe, barou
• Middle English: ber, bere, beare, byar, biare, byare, bir (in placenames only) (merged with descendant of Old English bǣr (“pasture”))