N (masc, n-stem)
a reeve or official with local jurisdiction under the king; the chief magistrate of a district
Attested in Ælfric's Lives of Saints - Saint Eugenia ("heahgerefa")
originates from: PWGmc
*garāfijō "count (the male ruler of a county)" (garāfijō
> gærǣfijō
> gærǣfijā
> gærǣfjā
> ġærǣfjā
> ġearǣfjā
> ġearǣfā
> ġearæfa
> ġearefa) through pwgmc-to-oe
Component of compounds