Word Origin & History
erne
"sea eagle," from O.E. earn "eagle," a common Gmc. word (cf. O.H.G. arn, M.Du. arent, Goth. ara "eagle," also surviving in the first element of old Gmc. names such as Arnold and Arthur), from PIE base *er-/*or- "great bird, eagle" (cf. Gk. ornis "bird," O.C.S. orilu, Lith. erelis, Welsh eryr "eagle").