• Drighten

    Alternative forms

    Origin

    From Middle English drihten, from Old English dryhten ("a ruler, king, lord, prince, the supreme ruler, the Lord, God, Christ"), from Proto-Germanic *druhtinaz ("leader, chief, lord"), from Proto-Indo-European *dhereugh-, *dher- ("to hold, hold fast, support"), equivalent to dright("army, host") + -en. Cognate with Scots drichtin, drichtine ("lord, the Lord"), and with Old Frisian drochten ("lord"), Old Saxon drohtin ("lord"), Middle High German truhten, trohten ("ruler, lord") (dialectal German Trechtin, Trechtein ("lord, God")), Danish drot ("king"), Swedish drott ("king, ruler, sovereign"), Icelandic dróttinn ("hero, ruler, lord"). Related also to Old English dryht ("a multitude, an army, company, body of retainers, nation, a people, men"), Old English ġedryht ("fortune, fate"), Old English drēogan ("to serve in the military, endure"). More at dree.

    Full definition of drighten

    Noun

    drighten

    (plural drightens)
    1. A lord; ruler; chief; leader; prince.
      • 2010, Stephan Grundy, Beowulf:Believe me, my drighten, there is not one of us that has ever slacked on watch before!
    2. (often capitalized) The Lord; Lord God; Christ.
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