dern

Meanings

Noun

• A secret; secrecy.
• A secret place; hiding.
• An obscure language.
• Darkness; obscurity.
• A gatepost or doorpost.

Adjective

• Hidden; secret; private.

Verb

• To hide; secrete, as in a hole.
• To hide oneself; skulk.

Origin

• From Middle English dern, derne, from Old English dyrne, dierne, from Proto-West Germanic *darnī.
• From Middle English dern, derne, from Old English dyrne, dierne, from Proto-West Germanic *darnī.
• From Middle English dernen, dærnen, from Old English dyrnan, diernan, from Proto-West Germanic *darnijan ("to conceal"), from *darnī. Cognate with Old Saxon dernian ("to conceal"), German tarnen ("to camougflage, disguise"). See also darn, tarnish.
• Uncertain.