English
erne
Erne comes from Middle English ern ‘eagle’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *h₃érō.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃érō‘large bird, eagle’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*arô‘eagle’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*arnuz‘eagle’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*arnu‘eagle’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150earn‘eagle’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500ern‘eagle’
- Englishearliest quotation 1866erne
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃érō‘large bird, eagle’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*arô‘eagle’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*arnuz‘eagle’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*arnu‘eagle’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150earn‘eagle’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500ern‘eagle’
- Englishearliest quotation 1866erne
Earliest quotation: 1866, Charles Kingsley, London: Nelson: “Ahoi! come kite! Ahoi! come erne from off the…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃er- ‘to move, to stir’
run, original, ride, origin, abortion, earn, orient, abort, irritable, irritate, orogeny, 18 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃érō ‘large bird, eagle’
Today it means
noun A sea eagle (Haliaeetus), especially the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₃érō / erne