A Meader, or Meaþer (pronounced METH - er), is a maker of mead. In the futhorc there is a rune called thorn which is pronounced with a hard "th" sound (as in "thought"). This was the original construction of the word meadher. The modern spelling of 'meather' is likely due to the thorn character becoming more rounded and more like a capital D over the course of time.
The term Meather has fallen into disfavour in modern times because when spoken, it is sometimes oddly confused with a maker of the drug Meth. A slang term meaning Meather is Mazer. The original meaning of the term Mazer is a cup or vessel for serving or drinking mead.
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