Aetheling

/ˈæðəlɪŋ/ noun

Definition

An Anglo-Saxon noble or prince, particularly a member of the royal family or someone of noble birth; a term used for highborn men in medieval England.

Etymology

From Old English 'æðeling,' derived from 'æðel' (noble) plus '-ing' (descendant or junior member). It's a distinctly English word reflecting Anglo-Saxon social hierarchy.

Kelly Says

Famous aethelings include the young princes in the Tower of London—the term captures a very specific historical moment when Saxon nobility dominated England before the Norman Conquest.

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