Efeu

Concepts

ivy

English ivy

Hedera

Ivy League

kind of ivy

Hedera rhombea

lovestone

Synonyms

dreispitzige Jungfernrebe

Hedera

Dialects

Basel-Landschaft

ääbhai

Basel-Landschaft

ääfhai

Basel-Landschaft

ääphai

Basel-Landschaft

eeffei

Data provided by: Deutsch-Schweizerdeutsches Wörterbuch

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈeːfɔʏ̯/

Etymology

From Middle High German ephöu, from Old High German ebhouwi, derived through popular association with houwi (“hay”) from older ebah. Possibly from Proto-Germanic *ibahs, from Proto-Indo-European *(h₁)ebʰ-. The spelling and pronunciation in modern German used to be Epheu [ˈeːpˌhɔʏ̯]. The contemporary -f- is a spelling pronunciation that emanated from the North, reinforced by forms in Central and Low German dialects with original -f- (compare Middle Low German īflōf, ifflōf, Ripuarian Effche). Akin to English ivy.