dern

1 of 3

adjective

ˈdern,
ˈdərn
1
now chiefly dialectal
a
: hidden, secret
b
: crafty, underhanded
2
now chiefly dialectal : drear, dark, somber, dire
3
dialectal, England : earnest, determined

dern

2 of 3

verb

"
-ed/-ing/-s
now chiefly Scottish
: hide, conceal

dern

3 of 3
ˈdərn,
-ə̄n,
-əin

dialectal variant of darn

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English derne, from Old English dyrne, dierne; akin to Old Saxon derni secret, Old High German tarni, Latin firmus firm

Verb

Middle English dernen, from Old English dyrnan; akin to Old High German ternen, tarnen to hide, conceal, Old Saxon dernian; denominatives from the root of Old English dyrne secret, hidden

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Dictionary Entries Near dern

dermotactile

dern

dernier

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Dern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dern. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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