Atheling
/ˈæθəlɪŋ/noun
A prince or noble of royal or aristocratic birth, especially an Anglo-Saxon heir to the throne.
Did you know?In Anglo-Saxon England, ætheling was not merely a compliment: it could identify a royal prince considered eligible for succession, turning ancestry into political power.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*aþalą
“Noble lineage, inherited status, or distinguished family”
Old English
Old English
æþelu
“Noble family, ancestry, or hereditary rank”
Old English
Old English
æþeling
“A person of noble birth; especially a royal prince”
11th Century
Late Old English
æðeling
“A prince of the royal house, often one eligible to succeed”
14th Century
Middle English
atheling
“A nobleman or prince, increasingly archaic”
Modern English
English
atheling
“An Anglo-Saxon prince or nobleman, chiefly in historical writing”