dere
Dere (noun) means (archaic) Harm, injury, or hurt. Example: “The old ballad speaks of a knight who suffered great dere in battle.”
How to use dere
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old word for hurting or troubling someone; rarely used outside historical or poetic writing today.
Archaic — you will mostly meet this in medieval or early English texts, not modern speech.
Word forms
dered past tense, deres plural, deres singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The old ballad speaks of a knight who suffered great _____ in battle.
Etymology
From Old English dæru ("injury, harm, loss"), tracing back to a very old Germanic root meaning damage — a distant relative of similar words in Old High German and Sanskrit.
Rhymes for dere
See all rhymes for dere →Frequently asked questions
What does “dere” mean?
The word “dere” means (archaic) Harm, injury, or hurt. In plain terms, an old word for hurting or troubling someone; rarely used outside historical or poetic writing today.
How do you pronounce “dere”?
“Dere” is pronounced deer (/dɪə/ in IPA).
How do you use “dere” in a sentence?
Here is “dere” used in a sentence: “The old ballad speaks of a knight who suffered great dere in battle.”
What part of speech is “dere”?
Depending on how it is used, “dere” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “dere” come from?
The word “dere” comes from Old English. From Old English dæru ("injury, harm, loss"), tracing back to a very old Germanic root meaning damage — a distant relative of similar words in Old High German and Sanskrit.
How many meanings does “dere” have?
“Dere” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: (archaic) Harm, injury, or hurt.