hlence

Old English

A man wearing chainmail

Alternative forms

• hlenċa m

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *hlanki, from Proto-Germanic *hlankiz, from earlier *hlankaz, from Proto-Indo-European *kleng-, *klenk- (“to bend; wind; twist”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈxlen.t͡ʃɑ/, [ˈl̥en.t͡ʃɑ]

Noun

hlenċe f

1. a coat of mail, chain mail

Usage notes

• It is not certain whether the nominative form is hlenċe f or hlenċa m, as the word is only attested in the oblique forms as hlenċan.

Declension

Declension of hlenċe (weak)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	hlenċe	hlenċan
accusative	hlenċan	hlenċan
genitive	hlenċan	hlenċena
dative	hlenċan	hlenċum

Related terms

• hlanc

Descendants

• Middle English: linke, lenke (merged with Old Norse *hlenkr, hlekkr)
  • English: link (see there for further descendants)
  • Scots: link