understanden

Middle English

Alternative forms

• understonden

Etymology

From Old English understandan, from Proto-West Germanic *understandan, from Proto-Germanic *understandaną (“to stand between, stand in the midst, understand”). Cognate with Middle Low German understanden.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌundərˈstandən/, /ˌundərˈstaːndən/, /ˌundərˈstɔndən/, /ˌundərˈstɔːndən/

Verb

understanden

1. to understand

Conjugation

Conjugation of understanden (strong class 6)

infinitive	(to) understanden, understande
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	understande	understod
2nd-person singular	understandest	understode, understod
3rd-person singular	understandeth, understant	understod
subjunctive singular	understande	understode1
imperative singular		—
plural2	understanden, understande	understoden, understode
imperative plural	understandeth, understande	—
participles	understandynge, understandende	understanden, understande

¹Replaced by the indicative in later Middle English.
²Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Descendants

• English: understand
• Scots: understand, onderstand
• Yola: understhoane

References

• “understō̆nden, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.