Northumbrian

1 of 2

adjective

North·​um·​bri·​an nȯr-ˈthəm-brē-ən How to pronounce Northumbrian (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of ancient Northumbria, its people, or its language
2
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Northumberland, its people, or its language

Northumbrian

2 of 2

noun

1
: a native or inhabitant of ancient Northumbria
2
: a native or inhabitant of Northumberland
3
a
: the Old English dialect of Northumbria
b
: the Modern English dialect of Northumberland

Examples of Northumbrian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
It’s been nearly 14 centuries since the monastery founded by St. Hild of Whitby, a prominent abbess in 7th century Anglo-Saxon England, hosted the Northumbrian kingdom’s assembly to discuss the date on which its Christian church would celebrate Easter. Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 28 Apr. 2023 The shift in power shift weakened the Northumbrian kingdom, and Eardwulf was forced to live out his days in (relative) isolation. Isis Davis-Marks, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 July 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Northumbrian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1602, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1531, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Northumbrian was in 1531

Dictionary Entries Near Northumbrian

Cite this Entry

“Northumbrian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Northumbrian. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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