The Newt Was Once an Ewt
A newt is a small amphibian. Its name gained an n that belonged to the word before it.
A newt is a small tailed amphibian that returns to water to breed. Its name is the result of a mishearing: the older word was *ewt*, and *an ewt* was reanalysed as *a newt*, so the n migrated from the article to the noun. The same process ran backwards with *an apron*, once *a napron*, and *an adder*, once *a nadder*. Newts can regrow lost limbs, jaws, eye tissue and even parts of the heart, which is why they are studied intensively by researchers on regeneration.
- A small amphibian. *A great crested newt.*
- Eft — a young land-phase newt. *An eft.*
- Ewt — the older form. *An ewt.*
- Salamander — the family. *A salamander.*
- Old English — *efeta*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | newt | A newt. |
| Plural | newts | Newts. |
| Related | eft | An eft. |
| Older form | ewt | An ewt. |
| Old English | efeta | A newt. |
- A newt in the pond.Animal.
- An ewt became a newt.Etymology.
- They regrow lost limbs.Biology.
Words that swapped an n with their article
- Newt — from *an ewt*
- Nickname — from *an eke-name*, an additional name
- Apron — from *a napron*
- Adder — from *a nadder*
- Umpire — from *a noumpere*
From Middle English *ewt*, from Old English *efeta*, with the n taken from the preceding article.
Why is it a newt and not an ewt?
The n of the article an attached itself to the noun, so an ewt became a newt.
Can newts really regrow limbs?
Yes. They can regenerate limbs, jaws, eye tissue and parts of the heart, which is why they are studied so closely.