Middle English Dictionary Entry
dubie adj. & n.
Entry Info
| Forms | dubie adj. & n. Also dubin. |
| Etymology | L dubius, dubium. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Gram. Of uncertain gender; as noun: the classification including certain nouns of doubtful gender.
Associated quotations
- c1450 Battlefield Gram.(Trin-C O.5.4)104 : How many gendres be in a noun? Seuene, viz..comyn of tweyne, comyn of thre, dubie, and epycen..How knowyste the dubye gendre?..How many nounes be ther of dubye gendre? As many as be in these verse..Margo dies que, silex cortex, pantera que, dama, ffinis, cum clunis dubium genus ista notabunt.
- a1500 Donatus (1) (StJ-C F.26)1020 : How many genderys of nown ben þere? Vij. Qwech vij? The masculyn, þe femynyne, þe neutyr, þe comown of to, þe comown of thre, þe duby & epycene..Qwerby knowyst þe duby gendyr?
- a1500 Donatus(2) (Dc 103)1029 : The dubyn gendur..ys declynyd with hic hec & vel conjuncion' be-twene, as hic uel hec dies.