hwæder

Old English

Alternative forms

• hwider, hweder

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *hwadrê. Cognate with Gothic 𐍈𐌰𐌳𐍂𐌴 (ƕadrē).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈxwæ.der/, [ˈʍæ.der]

Adverb

hwæder

1. where (to what place); whither

   Iċ nāt hwæder iċ fare.

   I know not whither I fare.

   Iċ wundriġe hwæder sē hund ēode.

   I wonder whither the hound went.

   • 10th century, The Wanderer:

     Beorn sċeal ġebīdan, · þonne hē bēot spriceð,
     oþþæt collenferð · cunne ġearwe
     hwider hreþra ġehyġd · hweorfan wille.

     A man must pause when he utters a boast,
     until, for all his magnanimity, he really know
     whither his heart's meditation will tend.[1]

Derived terms

• ǣġhwæder (“everywhither”)
• āhwæder (“anywhither”)
• ġehwæder (“allwhither”)
• nāhwæder (“nowhither”)

Descendants

• Middle English: whider
  • English: whither (archaic)
  • Yola: fidi, vidy, vidie