efneald

efn- +‎ eald

• IPA^(key): /ˈefnˌæ͜ɑld/, [ˈevnˌæ͜ɑɫd]

efneald

1. of the same age
   • c. 1005, Ælfric's Letter to Sigeweard

     Hē begann þā tō lufienne leahtras tō swīðe and fela unþēawa mid his efnealdum cneohtum.

     He began to fall in love with sin and engaged in many vices with boys his age [literally, “with his equally old boys”].

   • c. 992, Ælfric, “The Catholic Faith”

     Nis sē Sunu nā ġeworht ne ġesċeapen, ac hē is ācenned. Ācenned hē is, and þēah hwæðre hē is efneald and efnēċe his Fæder.

     The Son is not made or created, he is born. He is born, and yet he is just as old and just as eternal as his Father.

   • late 9th century, unknown author, The Old English Martyrology

     Þā ġelamp þæt hēo wæs fīftīene ġēara, þā lǣswode hēo hire fōstormēder sċēapum and hēold mid ōðrum mæġdenum hire efnealdum.

     One day, when she was fifteen, she was feeding her mother's sheep and watching them with other girls her age [lit. “other girls equally old to her”].

2. (substantive) a peer
   • c. 992, Ælfric, “The Deposition of St. Cuthbert, Bishop”

     Sē ēadega Cūðbeorht, þā þā hē wæs eahtawintre ċild, rann swā swā him his nytenlīċe ield tyhte plegende mid his efnealdum.

     The blessed Cuthbert, when he was an eight-year-old child, was running around like his innocent age urged him to do and playing with his peers.