DERIVATION.
PREFIXES.
The following are the most important prefixes, some of which are verbal, being confined to verbs and words formed directly from them; some nominal, being confined to nouns and adjectives.
ā- (1) originally 'forth,' 'away,' as in ā·rīsan, 'rise forth,' 'arise'; ā·faran, 'go away,''depart'; but generally only intensive, as in ā·cwęllan (kill), ā·hrēosan (fall).
(2) = 'ever' in pronouns and particles, where it gives an indefinite sense, as in ā-hwǣr (anywhere), ā-wiht (anything).
ǣġ- from ā-ġe-, the ā being mutated and the e dropped, has a similar meaning, as in ǣġ-hwelc (each), ǣġþer = ǣġ-hwæþer (either).
be-, originally 'by,' 'around' (cp. the preposition be), (1) specializes the meaning of a transitive verb, as in be·sęttan (beset, surround), be·sċieran (shear); (2) makes an intransitive verb transitive, as in be·þęnċan (consider) from þęnċan (think); (3) gives a privative meaning, as in be·hēafdian (behead). In some words, such as be·cuman (come), it is practically unmeaning.
for- (which is distinct from the preposition for) generally has the sense of 'loss' or 'destruction,' as in for·dōn (destroy), for·weorþan (perish). Of course, if the verb with which it is compounded already has this meaning, it acts merely as an intensitive, as in for·brēotan (break up, break), for·scrincan (shrink up). It also modifies in a bad sense generally, as in for·sēon (despise), or negatives, as in for·bēodan (forbid).
ġe- originally meant 'together,' as in ġe·fēra (fellow-traveller, companion) from fēran (travel). With verbs it often signifies 'completion,' 'attainment,' and hence 'success,' as in ġe·gān (conquer), originally 'go over,' or 'reach,' ġe·winnan (win) from winnan (fight). Hence generally prefixed to hīeran and sēon, ġe·hīeran and ġe·sēon strictly meaning 'succeed in hearing, seeing.' It is generally prefixed to past participles (p. [23]), where it originally gave the meaning of completion—ġe·lufod = 'completely loved.'
mis- = 'mis,' as in mis-dǣd (misdeed).
n- = ne (not), as in nā (not), literally 'never,' nǣfre (never), næs (was not) = ne wæs.
on- as a verbal prefix has nothing to do with the preposition on. It properly signifies 'separation,' as in on·lūcan (open) from lūcan (lock, close), but is often practically unmeaning, as in on·ġinnan (begin).
or-, literally 'out of,' is privative, as in orsorg (unconcerned) from sorg (sorrow).
tō- as a verbal prefix has nothing to do with the preposition tō (which occurs in tō·gædre, 'together,' &c.), but signifies 'separation,' as in tō·berstan (burst asunder), tō·breġdan (shake off), and hence 'destruction,' as in tō·cwīesan (crush to pieces, bruise).
un- negatives, as in un-ġesǣliġ (unhappy).
ENDINGS.
(a) Nouns.
Personal.
-end, from the present participle -ende, = '-er':—Hǣlend (healer, Saviour), būend (dweller).
-ere = '-er':—sāwere (sower), mynetere (money-changer, minter) from mynet (coin).
-ing, patronymic, æþeling (son of a noble, prince) from æþele (noble).
Abstract.
-nes, fem. from adjectives:—gōd-nes (goodness), rihtwīsnes (righteousness).
-uþ, -þo, fem., generally from adjectives:—ġēoguþ (youth), stręnġþo (strength) from strang.
-ung, fem. from verbs:—scotung (shooting, shot), hęrgung (ravaging), from scotian, hęrgian.
The following are also independent words:—
-dōm, masc.:—wīs-dōm (wisdom), þēow-dōm (servitude).
-hād, masc.:—ċild-hād (childhood).
-rǣden, fem.:—ġe·cwid-rǣden (agreement) from cwide (speech); mann-rǣden (allegiance).
-sċipe, masc.:—frēond-sċipe (friendship). Concrete in wæter-sċipe (piece of water, water).
(b) Adjectives.
-en, with mutation, denotes 'material,' 'belonging to':—gylden (golden), stǣnen (of stone), hǣþen (heathen) from hǣþ (heath). In seolcen (silken) there is no mutation.
-feald = '-fold':—hund-feald (hundred-fold).
-iġ:—miht-iġ (mighty); hāl-iġ (holy) from hāl (whole).
-isc, with mutation:—Ęnġlisc (English) from Angel; męnn-isc (human) from mann.
-ol:—swic-ol (deceitful).
-iht, with mutation, denotes 'material,' 'nature':—stǣn-iht (stony).
-sum = 'some':—hīer-sum (obedient).
The following exist (sometimes in a different form) as independent words:—
-fæst:—sōþ-fæst (truthful).
-full:—sorg-full (sorrowful), ġe·lēaf-full (believing, pious).
-lēas = '-less':—ār-lēas (dishonoured, wicked).
-lic (cp. ġe·līc) = '-ly':—folc-lic (popular), heofon-lic (heavenly).
-weard = '-ward':—sūþan-weard (southward).
Verbs.
-lǣċan:—ān-lǣċan (unite), ġe·þwǣr-lǣċan (agree).
Adverbs.
-e, the regular adverb-termination:—lange (long), ġe·līce (similarly) from lang, ġe·līc. Sometimes -līce (from -lic) is used to form adverbs, as blīþe-līce (gladly) from blīþe.
DERIVATIONS FROM PARTICIPLES.
Many abstract words are formed from present participles (often in a passive sense) and past participles (often in an active sense):—
-nes:—for·ġiefen-nes (forgiveness), ġe·ręċed-nes (narrative), welwillend-nes (benevolence).
-lic:—unārīmed-lic (innumerable).
-līce:—welwillend-līce (benevolently).