Abidden

/əˈbɪdən/ verb

Definition

Past participle of abide; having remained, endured, or stayed in place (archaic or dialect form).

Etymology

From Old English abidan (to wait, remain), with -en past participle ending common in older English and surviving in forms like 'ridden' and 'hidden.' A vestigial form from when English used -en more productively for past participles.

Kelly Says

Abidden is fascinating because it shows a ghost of Old English grammar—modern English mostly abandoned the -en ending for past participles, keeping it only in common verbs like 'ridden' and 'hidden,' making abidden feel archaic even though it follows regular Germanic patterns.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.