Middle English Dictionary Entry

doughter n.
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Entry Info

Forms doughter n. Also doghter, dogheter, do(u)chter, do(u)ȝter, do(u)hter, dohtre, douter, douther, dughter, doster (? dofter), þouȝtur. Forms: sg. gen. do(u)ghter, douȝter, do(u)hter & douhtres; pl. do(u)ghtres, do(u)ghters, doighters, dochtres, do(u)ȝtres, doȝteres, do(u)htres, dohteres, dohutris, dohutirs, dout(e)res, douteries & do(u)ghtren, dochtren, do(u)ȝtren, douȝteren, do(u)htren, dohteren & doghter, dohter, doht(e)re & deghter, deȝter & deghteres, deȝteres & dehtren, deuȝtren, deytron.
Etymology OE dohtor; dat. dehter, doehter, dohtor; pl. dohtra, dohtru, dohtor. The pl. stem deghter-, apparently not attested in OE, is prob. from the OE sg. dat. on the model of brọ̄ther-brẹ̄ther.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) A daughter; (b) ~ ~, daughter's daughter; ~ housbonde, daughter's husband; (c) daughter of a pagan god or deity; (d) female offspring of an animal.
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2.
(a) A female descendent; also, a spiritual inheritrix; deghter of the douthe, daughters of the people, mortal women; doughtres of Philistien, Philistine women; (b) used affectionately or familiarly to a young woman.
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3.
(a) A female inhabitant of a city or country; ~ of Jerusalem, a Jewess; also, a pious woman; ~ of Sion, a Jewess; also, Jerusalem; (b) an ecclesiastical ward or subordinate; also, a spiritual ward; ~ in Crist, ~ in God, gostli ~; (c) a devout woman (soul); ~ of Holi Chirche, Godes ~.
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4.
A virtue, vice, or faculty (regarded as derived from a certain source); scion, offshoot, branch; four doughtres of God; seven doughtres of the Holi Gost, the cardinal virtues; seven doughtres of helle, the seven deadly sins.
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5.
A young woman; ~ of song, ?a female singer.
Show 2 Quotations

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)197/1794 : Þat qualite is cald evermare in als mykyll as in þam is caused whitnes in uryn..& þarefore sais Galien: albedo erit filia frigiditatis, whytnes is caldhedys doghter.
    • Note: A fig. use, denoting origin (of a physical condition). May be placed under sense 2., with the addition of "also fig."(-- per MLL) ; or with the other figurative uses in sense 4.(-- per MJW).
    Note: Quot. has been checked against the source, but line number needs to be verified.-- per MLL
  • (1448) Doc.in Sundby Dial.Wor.(Eg Charter 608)254 : This endentur, maid…be tuyne Thomas Corbet of Stanford..and John Blount of Sodynton..Wetthenes that the seid John Blount shal wed and taken to his wyffe Katerryn, the yongg dowter of seid Thomas.
    • Note: New spelling: Also..douter.
    Note: Belongs to sense 2.(a).--notes per MLL

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