Middle English Dictionary Entry
barbarī̆n(e n. & adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | barbarī̆n(e n. & adj. Also barb(e)rin, -en, -on, berbren. |
| Etymology | OF barbarin(e & ML barbarīnus. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A foreigner, barbarian, heathen; a non-Greek, a non-Roman; (b) foreign, non-Greek; also, rugged [quot.Chauliac].
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Rom.1.14 : To Grekis and barbaryns [WB(2): barberyn; L Barbaris] or hethene men..I am dettour.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)113/36 : My dere Macedoynes..fra this tym forwarde sall neuer ȝour name hafe lordchipe ouer þe Barbarenes.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5311 : Þou þat has brettend on þe bent þe barbrins fokke.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)5334 : I sall surely þe saue vnsesid of þe berbrens.
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)2606 : I make a-wowe þat massydoyn shall see vs no more, Tyll all þe barbrens vs bowe.
b
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)159b/b : Labouryng men..haue complexione wilde & bestly and barbaryne [L barbarinas] i. stronge..which escapeþ of strong sikenez wiþoute leche & wiþout medicyne.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2418 : I kepe neuire king to be callid..Till all þe barbarine [vr. barberon] blude a-bowe to þe grekis.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2919 : Þis ilke bar-bryn berne [Darius] grete beute me schewys.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3586 : A berne full of bost, a barbrene prince.
2.
An infidel; esp., a Moslem.
Associated quotations
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)16060 : Seint Bede blames Cadwalyn..he calles hym barbaryn; Barbaryn ys a Sarazyn straunge.
- a1450 Methodius(2) (Add 37049)103/21 : Þerfor God has taken vs into þe handes of barbarynes of hathen men.
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)10359 : I se be þe Soudan, Amonge þe barbarens how he takeþ on.
3.
A native of the Barbary Coast; a Berber.
Associated quotations
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1924 : Þere was many a Sarsyn And longe-berded Barbaryn..Þere was..Antiphilus of Barbarye.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)38/6 : Þis land of Ierusalem has bene in many diuerse naciouns handes, as..Cristen men, Sarzenes, Barbarenes, Turkes.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)1042 : Turkis, Indeis and Venysyens, Barbarens, Ethiopes and Macidoynes.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1470 Bible F.(Cleve-W q091.92-C468)63/8 : Pilat lete write an high on the cros, 'Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudeorum'..And that scripture was in Latine, in Ebrue, and in barbarine.
Note: New sense: 'a foreign language, specif. ?non-Latin, ?associated with paganism (contextually referring to Greek).' The sense 'non-Latin' is attested in Anglo-French (so AND s.v. barbarin).