Middle English Dictionary Entry
masculīn(e adj. & n.
Entry Info
| Forms | masculīn(e adj. & n. Also masclin(e. |
| Etymology | OF masculin & L masculīnus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of sex: male; ~ gendre, male sex; of the male class or kind; as noun: a male; also, the male portion of a congregation; (b) of things thought to possess male functions or qualities: male, masculine; (c) gram. masculine in gender; as noun: masculine gender.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.3795 : Vn-to þe men þe childe..is sent Ȝif þat it be of kynde masculyn, And ȝif it..be femynyn With þe wommen abide..it shal.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.3.43 : With the oportunyte and noblesse of thyne masculyn children [L masculae..prolis] (that is to seyn, thy sones).
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)151b/b : Mola matricis..is a gobet of flesh gendred..in deling wiþ man, in which þe matrice takeþ þe water of wymmen & streccheþ it out with nutriment; it conseyueþ not for þe defaute of masclyne vertue [Ch.(2): þe vertu of man; L virtutis masculinitatis].
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)299 : O Mars..With Venus and Lucyna..pesybyl be; For masculyne furyus a-yens femenyn schouris Amonge goddys ys ascryuyd but to crwelte.
- ?a1450 Arderne LW (Em 69)114 : A plastre of..laury & Milfolye medlyd..with the grece of a masculyne hogge.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)87/20 : Now is þe tyme come þat þe welbeloued masculyne with þe welbeloued feminine schuld go oute in-to þe feld of þis world.
- (1474) Stonor1.142 : To Thomas my son, and to his heyres of the masculine gender of his body lawfully begoten.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)2235 : Sythun þat God in wille was monhede to take..In masculyne gendre..noght fourme in feminyne.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)16/7 : Here þe circumcision..was done..vnto þe masculynes the eiȝte day fro his birthe.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)16/27 : The masculyne that hadde noȝt his fleche kytted, scilicet, were circumcised, his sowle schulde perische.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.90 : Take þe mylke of a schepe þat was a lambe þe same ȝere, & þe pouder of þis ston, so þat he be a masculyn schepe & be wyȝt of schyne.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)54/13,14 : For right as man halt the principalte of al thing under his beinge, in the masculyne gender; and no mo genders ben there but masculyn and femenyne..right so, in the femenyne, the women holden the upperest degree of al thinges under thilke gendre conteyned.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4493 : Þe whiche signe and constellacioun Is to Mercurie hous and mansioun, And is of kynde mene & masculyn.
- a1550 *Norton OAlch.(BodeMus 63)2674 : When our white stone shall suffer hete And reste in fyre as Redd as blodde, then is the mariage perfite and goode; and ye may trully knowe that tyme, howe the feminale [read: seminale] sede masculyne hath..wonne the victorie vpon the menstruales.
c
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)36/110 : Hire name þat was femynyn Of gendre, heo turned in to masculyn, Theodora hire name was..But Theodorus..seide heo.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)10a/a : But in þe masculine gendre & in þe femenyne, þey beth substantiues personal.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)243a/a : It is..neutre gendre in þe singuler and masculyne in þe plurell.
- c1400 Femina (Trin-C B.14.40)13 : Quia ma sonat feminino, moun masculino, To femynyn gendre & moun to masclyn.
- c1450 Battlefield Gram.(Trin-C O.5.4)104 : How many gendres be in a noun? Seuene, viz. masculin, ffemynyn, neutre..How knoweste the masculyn? For he is declynyd by hic, the ffemynyn by hec, the neutre by hoc.
- c1450 Battlefield Gram.(Trin-C O.5.4)115 : How many gendres haste in the participle? ffoure. Whyche be they? Masculyn, as lectus; ffeminine, as lecta; neutre, as lectum.
- a1500 Donatus (1) (StJ-C F.26)1020 : Qwerby knowyst þe masculyn gendyr? ffor it is declyned wit hic.
- a1500 Donatus (1) (StJ-C F.26)1021 : Saue if þe feminyne be drawe out of þe masculyn, as domina is drawyn out of dominus.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450 Peniarth Accedence(1) (Pen 356B)2.40 : How knos þu þe masculyn gendyr?
Note: Additional quote(s)