Middle English Dictionary Entry
nǒnne n.
Entry Info
| Forms | nǒnne n. Also non(e, noune, nunne, nun(e; pl. nonnes, etc. & (early) nonnen, nunnen, nonne, nunna. |
| Etymology | OE nunne, pl. nunnan (from L) & L nonna & OF none, nonne, noune, nune. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A female religious who has taken solemn vows; a nun; also, an anchoress; blak ~, a Benedictine nun; clos ~, a nun living in the seclusion of a cloister [see also closen v. 7. (a)]; ~ hen, a nun's hen; ~ novice, a member of a female religious order who is preparing to take her vows; nonnes prest, a chaplain in service to a nunnery or group of nuns; (b) a female serving in a Jewish or pagan temple.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.963 : He macode þær twa abbot rice, an of muneca oðer of nunna.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)24285 : Þer weoren nunnen [Otho: nonnes] wel idon, moni heh iboren wifmon.
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)121/24 : Ealdre þe wuniað on woruldicre wuniunȝe þe wylniad inn to mynstre..we cleopiað nunne odðe offestre.
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)129/16 : Þa yldre þa yngre swustre æfre clypien, & þa ȝyngran nonnas clypien hyre yldre.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)163/12 : Ich am an ancre, A nunne.
- c1300 SLeg.Dunstan (LdMisc 108)105 : Þoruȝ þe popes graunt of rome, Eyȝhte an fourti Abbeies, of Monekes and of nonnes [Hrl: nonne]..huy a-rerden in Enguelonde.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)52/177 : Þis Men ladden þis holie bodi..To þe Abbeye of Schaftesburi..A-mong blake Nonnene [Corp-C: nonnen] þat þare beoth.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4539 : Gwenwar, þe luþer quene..Fram euerwik to karleon..fleu mid quic pas & bicom nonne þere, to libbe in chaste liue.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.118 : Ther was also a nonne, a prioresse.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4637 : Sire Nonnes Preest..This was a myrie tale of Chauntecleer.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.175 : I not for what emprise I scholde assote upon a Nonne, For thogh I hadde hir love wonne, It myhte into no pris amonte.
- (1395) Wycl.37 Concl.(Tit D.1)93 : Ferthermore the bisshop of Rome makith nunnis personis that moun not preche generali neithir mynistre sacramentis to the sik.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)28390 : Haue i tan bath aght and fe O þam þat had na propurte, Als munk, nunne, or spused wijf.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)10.136 : Of here kynde..comen..maidenis & nonnes [vrr. nunnes, nonne; Mynchons], monkes & ancris.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3865 : Thanne Shame cam forth..Weryng a vayle in stide of wymple, As nonnys [F nonain] don in her abbey.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)13/26 : Of þe fifte maner o mekenes spekis sain benet for to lere hys sistirs hu þai salle scriue þaim to þair abbes, baþe nunne and sistir.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)15a/a : Claustrensis: monke or nonne in cloystre.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)82/19 : It is now a full faire chirche, And þere withinne ben monkes & nonnes [F nonaynes] cristene.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)360 : Nune, womann of relygione: Monialis, monacha.
- (1442) Visit.Alnwick230 : Ete to gedre in one house..so that no seculares sytte among the nunnes.
- a1450(?1409) Vision Staunton (Roy 17.B.43)59 : Y sawe a..woman in the same abite with a vayle on hir hede as a nonne.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)1269 : [If] None or nouese, mor or lese, Comyn with þam þat cursed es..Þe same payn sal þai vnderly.
- a1450 Ordin.Nuns(2) (Vsp A.25)147/13 : Efter þis sal þat nun nouece stand stil befor þe auter & rede hir prouesse.
- a1450 Terms Assoc.(1) (Rwl D.328)604 : A superfluite of nonnes [vrr. nonys, nones].
- c1450 Capgr.Rome (Bod 423)132 : In þis place dwelle cloos nunnes whech haue þe keping of þe baptistes hed.
- (1459) Will Wells in Nrf.Archaeol.2101 : And aftyr her disses yane ye seyde londs wt alle ye profits to remayne to Ales Welles, nowne of Blakebergh forseyde.
- c1460 My fayr lady (Hrl 2255)p.200 : Liche a cow hire wombe is gert, Rympled liche a nunnys veylle And smothe berdyd liche a gete.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1243/5 : And there she lete make herselff a nunne, and wered whyght clothys and blak.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)87a : A Nune: monacha, sanctimonialis.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)416 : Theire yonge wiffes, lefte with-oute counfort..after were nonnes [F nounes] veilled in the abbey of the royall mynster.
- a1500 Sum be mery (Lamb 306)p.268 : Women, women..Some be nyse as a nonne hene.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)20111 : To temple wit him hir he name..Omang þe nunnes a þat stedde, Godde for to serue þar hir did.
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)2179 : Bott on zacora hym sayd, a semlych Nonn, Þar was none oþer answer.
- ?a1500 Othea (Hrl 838)109/11 : As myche as sche knew her soone achilles schold dye yf he haunted armez..sche lett hym be clothed lyke a meyde & made hym a noone in an abbey.
2.
(a) In surnames; (b) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.52].
Associated quotations
a
- (1275) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames139 : Hug. de la Nonnechirche.
- (1285) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms176 : Hancok Nunne.
- (1297) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 1690 : Rob. Nunnes.
- (1301) Sub.R.Yks.in YASRS 2157 : Johannes Nunneman.
- (1327) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms176 : Joh. le Nonne.
- (1361) in Kristensson ME Top.Terms79 : Joh. del Nunhous.
b
- (1150) EPNSoc.13 (War.)230 : Nuneleia.
- (1318) EPNSoc.13 (War.)89 : Nonnetone.
- (1387) in Mawer PNNhb.& Dur.151 : Nunstaynton.
- (1404) EPNSoc.13 (War.)230 : Nuneleyfeld.
- (1490) EPNSoc.34 (West Riding Yks.)158 : Nonwyk.