Middle English Dictionary Entry
selēnīte n.
Entry Info
| Forms | selēnīte n. Also selinete, silenites, (errors) selentes, serenyte, serenice. |
| Etymology | L selēnītis, selēnītes, AL silēnītes & OF silenite, selenite. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A variety of chatoyant precious stone, selenite, a variety of gypsum.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)206a/a : Silenites [L Silenites] is a stone of perse; grene as gras, his colour yliche to þe stone Iaspis..and schyneþ wiþ a white spekke; and þe stone Silenites foloweþ þe moone and waxeþ and wanyeþ as þe moone doþ.
- c1475 Court Sap.(Trin-C R.3.21)1078 : The Serenice [vr. Serenyte; read: Selenyte]..in loue hath hys myght.
- a1500 BodAdd.A.106 Lapid.(BodAdd A.106)p.54 : Selinete is a precyous ston yt is noȝt for to be hyd; He is as gren as any erbe, & he is lyke to a Iaspe.
- a1500 Bod.EMisc.Lapid.(BodEMisc e.558)33/295 : The Selentes is a grene fatty grenesse; She is callid the holy stone, for she hathe felyng of the mone.