bocstaff

Middle English

Alternative forms

• bocstaf, bookstaff, bookstave

Etymology

From Old English bōcstæf (“letter, written character”), from bōc (“book”) + stæf (“staff, character”), from Proto-Germanic *bōkastabaz. Compare Danish bogstav, Faroese bókstavur, German Buchstabe, Icelandic bókstafur, Norwegian bokstav, Swedish bokstav.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈboːkˌstaf/, /ˈboːkˌstaːv(ə)/

Noun

bocstaff

1. letter, written character

   Synonyms: bokrune, lettre

Descendants

• English: bookstave, bookstaff