Middle English Dictionary Entry
sorceresse n.
Entry Info
| Forms | sorceresse n. Also soreceresse, sorcerisse, sorseres(se, sorseras; pl. sorceresses, etc. & sorsseres. |
| Etymology | OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A sorceress, an enchantress.
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.2602 : I sih there..Circes and Calipse, That cowthen do the Mone eclipse, Of men and change the liknesses, Of Artmagique Sorceresses.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.131 : To ȝouthe he was restored new ageyn By crafte of Medee, the gret sorceresse.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.1997 : For be þe werke of þis sorceresse, I was so fonned vppon hir fairnesse..Þat al a ȝere with hir [a]bood.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1520 : Thow seyst nat soth..thow sorceresse [vrr. sorcerisse; sercheresse] With al thy false goost of prophecye! Thow wenest ben a gret devyneresse!
- a1456(?1428) Lydg.Compl.Lady Glo.(Trin-C R.3.20)47 : Hem thought þey saughe a myrmayde Ressemblyng vn-to a chaunteresse, Of faate [read: faace] lyke a soreceresse, Vppon a toure with a gret route Of wychches sittyng rounde abowte.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1262 : Ther saugh I pleye..Phitonesses, charmeresses, Olde wicches, sorceresses [vr. sorseresses], That use exorsisacions.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)161/28 : They be sorsseres and inchaunters many of them, and be a knyght never so good of his body and as full of prouesse as a man may be, they woll make hym a starke cowerde to have the bettir of hym.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)279/21 : There is a lady, a sorseres, that dwellyth in a castel here bysyde.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1145/15 : Thys sir Alpheus had a modir was a grete sorseras; and she..wrought by her suttyle craufftis that sir Urry shulde never be hole.