yfel

Middle English

Adjective

yfel

1. (Early Middle English) Alternative form of yvel (“evil”)

Old English

Alternative forms

• efel, eofel

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *ubil, from Proto-Germanic *ubilaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈy.fel/, [ˈy.vel]

Adjective

yfel (comparative wiersa, superlative wierrest)

1. bad
2. bad in a moral sense, evil

Usage notes

• Yfel was the general word for “bad”, not just “evil”. Hence phrases such as yfel ġesihþ (“bad eyesight”), yfel hlyst (“bad hearing”), yfel wyrd (“bad fortune”), and yfel bȳsn (“bad example”).

Declension

Declension of yfel — Strong

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	yfel	yfel	yfel
Accusative	yfelne	yfele	yfel
Genitive	yfeles	yfelre	yfeles
Dative	yfelum	yfelre	yfelum
Instrumental	yfele	yfelre	yfele
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	yfele	yfela, yfele	yfel
Accusative	yfele	yfela, yfele	yfel
Genitive	yfelra	yfelra	yfelra
Dative	yfelum	yfelum	yfelum
Instrumental	yfelum	yfelum	yfelum

Declension of yfel — Weak

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	yfela	yfele	yfele
Accusative	yfelan	yfelan	yfele
Genitive	yfelan	yfelan	yfelan
Dative	yfelan	yfelan	yfelan
Instrumental	yfelan	yfelan	yfelan
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	yfelan	yfelan	yfelan
Accusative	yfelan	yfelan	yfelan
Genitive	yfelra, yfelena	yfelra, yfelena	yfelra, yfelena
Dative	yfelum	yfelum	yfelum
Instrumental	yfelum	yfelum	yfelum

Descendants

• Middle English: yvel, uvel, evel
  • English: evil
  • Scots: evil, ewil

Noun

yfel n

1. something bad or bad things collectively; harm, misfortune
2. evil
   • late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Saint Augustine's Soliloquies

     ...;sē ūs ġescylt wið eallum yfellum.

     ...;He shieldeth us against every evil.

Declension

Strong a-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	yfel	yfel
accusative	yfel	yfel
genitive	yfeles	yfela
dative	yfele	yfelum

Synonyms

• (adjective): un-
• gal
• unweorþ
• trag

Antonyms

• gōd (“good”)
• til (“good”)

Derived terms

• yfele (“badly”)
• yfelian (“to wrong”)
• yfelsacian (“to blaspheme”)
• yfelwillende (“malicious”)

Descendants

• Middle English: yvel, uvel, evel
  • English: evil
  • Scots: evil, ewil