næfre

næfre is an Old English adverb meaning "never." It functions as the negation of time or occurrence and is the standard word for stating that something does not happen at any time. The form is fixed and does not inflect.

Etymology: næfre is formed from the negative prefix na- joined to æfre, the Old English word meaning "ever." Æfre is the Old English cognate of the Modern English "ever," and the combination yields the sense "not ever" or "never." The word appears across a wide range of Old English prose and poetry.

Usage: In Old English, næfre commonly occurs in clauses asserting that something does not occur. It can be used with the main verb for straightforward negation or in emphatic expressions. It is found in religious, legal, and narrative contexts and is used to express strong negation, prohibition, or admonition.

Modern descendants: The direct descendant of næfre in Modern English is never. The transition from Old English næfre to modern never reflects general sound changes and spelling reforms in the history of the language. The word’s core meaning—negation of an event or condition occurring at any time—remains stable in its descendants.

See also: never; Old English language; Germanic etymology.