Wordwyrt

affright

Meaningto terrify

Common meaning: frighten someone

Journey through time

  1. Old Englishafyrhtan‘to terrify’sourceB&T
  2. Middle Englishmeaning shiftsto terrify → frightenedafright‘frightened’source
  3. Englishmeaning shiftsfrightened → frighten someoneaffright‘frighten someone’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: not available. Respelling: generated.
  • US IPA: not available. Respelling: generated.

Origin: Built on Old English afyrhtan ‘to terrify’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Skeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), entry AFFRIGHT, p. 11 · dictionary scan

Roots

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