saxon
UK[ˈsæksən]US[ˈsæksən]
n
A member of a Germanic people that inhabited parts of central and northern Germany from Roman times, many of whom conquered and settled in southern Britain in the 5th–6th centuries.
n
A person of English or Lowland Scottish birth or descent as distinct from one of Irish, Welsh, or Highland Scottish descent (historical).
adj
Relating to the Anglo-Saxons, their language, or their period of dominance in England (5th–11th centuries).
Etymology
The term originates from Late Latin 'Saxōnēs', the name for a confederation of Germanic tribes. This Latin form is believed to derive from a West Germanic root, possibly related to a type of knife or dagger known as a 'seax', which was characteristic of the people. Thus, the name likely meant "knife-wielding people." Through historical contact and conquest, the term was adopted into Old English as 'Seaxe' to refer to the people themselves. In English, it evolved to specifically denote the Germanic invaders of Britain and their descendants, eventually giving rise to the related terms 'Anglo-Saxon' and 'Old Saxon'.
Analysis
The word 'Saxon' is a simplex loanword from Latin. It does not contain separable, productive morphemes within its modern English spelling. Its core is the Latin 'Saxōnēs', which was adopted from a Germanic tribal name.
Examples
The Saxon kingdoms of England were eventually unified.
Many place names in England, such as Wessex and Essex, derive from the Saxon settlements.
The historian studied the migration patterns of the Saxons across Europe.