wær

See also: waer and wär

Middle English

Noun

wær

1. Alternative form of werre (“war”)

Old English

Etymology 1

From Proto-West Germanic *war. Cognate with Old Saxon war, Old High German war, Old Norse varr, Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐍂 (war).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wær/

Adjective

wær (comparative wærra, superlative wærest)

1. cautious, on guard, watching out for something (+genitive)

Declension

Declension of wær — Strong

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	wær	waru, waro	wær
Accusative	wærne	ware	wær
Genitive	wares	wærre	wares
Dative	warum	wærre	warum
Instrumental	ware	wærre	ware
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	ware	wara, ware	waru, waro
Accusative	ware	wara, ware	waru, waro
Genitive	wærra	wærra	wærra
Dative	warum	warum	warum
Instrumental	warum	warum	warum

Declension of wær — Weak

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	wara	ware	ware
Accusative	waran	waran	ware
Genitive	waran	waran	waran
Dative	waran	waran	waran
Instrumental	waran	waran	waran
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	waran	waran	waran
Accusative	waran	waran	waran
Genitive	wærra, warena	wærra, warena	wærra, warena
Dative	warum	warum	warum
Instrumental	warum	warum	warum

Derived terms

• ġewær

Descendants

• Middle English: war, ware
  • English: ware

Etymology 2

From Proto-West Germanic *wār (“true”).

Cognates

Germanic cognates include Old High German wār, wāra (German wahr), Old Saxon wār (Low German war), Old Dutch wār (Dutch waar), Old Norse várar pl. The Indo-European root is also the source of Latin vērus, Old Irish fír (Irish fíor), Welsh cywir, Old Church Slavonic вѣра (věra), Russian ве́ра (véra).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wæːr/

Adjective

wǣr

1. true, correct

   Iċ ġelȳfe þæt hit from Gode cōme, brōht from his bysene, þæs mē þes boda sæġde wǣrum wordum.

   I believe that it came from God, brought from His example, for this messenger told me in true words.

Usage notes

As a simplex, attested only once in Genesis B. Attested several times in composition, cf. Genesis A 67a, Juliana 351a, etc.

Declension

Declension of wǣr — Strong

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	wǣr	wǣr	wǣr
Accusative	wǣrne	wǣre	wǣr
Genitive	wǣres	wǣrre	wǣres
Dative	wǣrum	wǣrre	wǣrum
Instrumental	wǣre	wǣrre	wǣre
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	wǣre	wǣra, wǣre	wǣr
Accusative	wǣre	wǣra, wǣre	wǣr
Genitive	wǣrra	wǣrra	wǣrra
Dative	wǣrum	wǣrum	wǣrum
Instrumental	wǣrum	wǣrum	wǣrum

Declension of wǣr — Weak

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	wǣra	wǣre	wǣre
Accusative	wǣran	wǣran	wǣre
Genitive	wǣran	wǣran	wǣran
Dative	wǣran	wǣran	wǣran
Instrumental	wǣran	wǣran	wǣran
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	wǣran	wǣran	wǣran
Accusative	wǣran	wǣran	wǣran
Genitive	wǣrra, wǣrena	wǣrra, wǣrena	wǣrra, wǣrena
Dative	wǣrum	wǣrum	wǣrum
Instrumental	wǣrum	wǣrum	wǣrum

Synonyms

• sōþ

Derived terms

• wǣrlīċe

Etymology 3

From Proto-West Germanic *wāru, from Proto-Germanic *wērō (“truth”). Cognate with Old Saxon wār (“truth”), Old High German wāra (“truth”), Latin vērus (“true”).

Noun

wǣr f (nominative plural wǣra or wǣre)

1. truth, faith
2. fidelity, friendship
3. agreement, promise

Declension

Strong ō-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	wǣr	wǣra, wǣre
accusative	wǣre	wǣra, wǣre
genitive	wǣre	wǣra
dative	wǣre	wǣrum

Derived terms

• wǣrloga