Mercian
1
9.9
- adjective
- The Mercian culture was known for its intricate metalwork and craftsmanship.
- Mercian king
- Mercian power
Examples
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Eventually Burgred paid them to leave, and the Mercian and West Saxon armies, mostly made-up of farmers, disbanded to plow their fields.
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He had been serving as a private in the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters, subsequently renamed the 2nd Battalion the Mercian Regiment, on his second tour of Afghanistan.
Blog text (5) -
The Mercian dialect of Old English was once widely spoken across central England.
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Many historical artifacts from the Mercian period can be seen in local museums.
Surface Forms
Morphology
Mercian = Mercia (transparent) = Mercia + an
Formed by the place name 'Mercia' plus the productive suffix '-an' to create an adjective meaning 'relating to Mercia', which is straightforward for learners who know the base name.
Etymology
Mercian comes from Mercia, the name of an old Anglo-Saxon kingdom in central England, and that name comes from mearc, which means 'border'. So Mercian describes something that comes from that kingdom or its people.