Etymology

Formed on neuen (v.), cp. the OIcel pp. adj. ónefndr ‘unnamed'

PGmc Ancestor

*namnjan-

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

nefna ‘to name, mention, appoint’; cp. ónefndr (pp. adj.) ‘unnamed'
(ONP nefna (2) (vb.); cp. ónefndr (adj.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

Far nevna, Icel nefna, Norw nemna, Dan nævne, Sw nämna

OE Cognate

nemnan, 'to name, call'

Phonological and morphological markers

dissimilation of ON /mn/ > /fn/

Summary category

A1*c

Attestation

This compound is a hapax legomenon, but see further neuen (v.).

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

Cl 727

On the sense of this hapax v., see Anderson 727n.

Bibliography

MED unnevened (ppl.) , OED3 unnevened (adj.) , HTOED ; see further neven (v.).