bearn

• IPA^(key): /bʲaːɾˠn̪ˠ/

bearn f (genitive singular bearna, nominative plural bearnacha)

1. Ulster form of bearna (“gap”)

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “bearna”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Quiggin, E. C. (1906) A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, page 87

bearn

1. Alternative form of barn (“child”)

From Proto-Germanic *barną. Cognate with Old Frisian bern, Old Saxon barn, Old Dutch *barn, Old High German barn, Old Norse barn, Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐍂𐌽 (barn). Related to beran.

• IPA^(key): /bæ͜ɑrn/, [bæ͜ɑrˠn]

bearn n

1. child
   • late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Boethius' The Consolation of Philosophy

     Swīðe wynsum hit biþ þæt man wīf hæbbe and bearn.

     It is very pleasant to have a wife and children.

   • late 9th century, Old English Martyrology

     Hīe wǣron twēntiġ ġēara samod ǣr þon þe hīe bearn hæfdon.

     They were together for twenty years before they had a child.

2. baby

See the usage notes for ċild.

• Middle English: barn, bern, bearn, bærn, barne, berne, baren
  • English: barn (obsolete, dialectal)
    • Northumbrian: bairn
  • Scots: bairn
    • → English: bairn
  • Yola: barrn

Inflections.

• IPA^(key): /bæ͜ɑrn/, [bæ͜ɑrˠn]

bearn

1. first/third-person singular preterite of beirnan

Contraction of bereern, bereærn (literally “barley-place”), equivalent to bere +‎ ærn.

• bern

bearn n

1. a place to store barley

• Middle English: bern, barn, baryn, bærn, berne
  • English: barn
  • Scots: bern
  • Yola: barrn