Wordwyrt

wretch

/ˈɹetʃ/RECH
/ˈɹɛtʃ/RECH

Meaningexile

Common meaning: an unhappy or worthless person

Journey through time

  1. Old Englishwrecca‘exile’sourceB&T
  2. Middle Englishwrecchesource
  3. Englishmeaning shiftsexile → an unhappy or worthless personwretch‘an unhappy or worthless person’ · 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: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Old English wrecca ‘outcast’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Skeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), entry WRETCH, p. 721 · dictionary scan

Roots

  • wrecca Old English “outcast”

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