- IPA(key): /jeˈθɑ.fɑ/,[jeˈθɑ.vɑ]
Likely fromġeþafian(“to favour; to permit, allow”) +-a. Alternatively, possibly fromProto-Germanic*ga- +*þabaz(“fitting; appropriate”) (see Usage Notes and Etymology 2), whence alsoġeþafian.
ġeþafa m
- one whofavours,consents to,helps,acquiesces to,agrees to or with, orsupports something(+ genitive or dative of thing).
- c. 897,Alfred the Great,translation of Pope Gregory'sPastoral Care
Hī nyllaðġeðafan bēon ōðerra monna ġeðeahtes.- They do not wish to besupporters of other peoples' counsel.
- Sometimes treated as indeclinable.
- It is not entirely clear whether this word is a weak masculine noun, a weak adjective (see Etymology 2), or both, and the Bosworth-Toller Dictionary has separate entries for it as both. It only ever occurs in the extant corpus as a predicate of the verbswesan,bēon, andweorþan, is never used attributively, and the expected feminine nominative and neuter nominative/accusative singular adjectival form*ġeþafe is unattested, suggesting a weak masculine noun. However, based on similar adjective forms in both Old English (e.g. sometimes-indeclinable adjectives likeāna,fela, andfēaw, when used asfēawa) and Icelandic, the fact that it is never modified itself by other attributive adjectives, and a number of apparently adjective-like uses in the corpus, it is possible it was instead an adjective.
Weak:
See Etymology 1.
ġeþafa
- indicatesconsent to,agreeance with,acquiescence to, orsupport for something(+ genitive or dative of thing)
Declension ofġeþafa — Weak only
ġeþafa
- singularimperative ofġeþafian
