Middle English Dictionary Entry
step-chīld n.
Entry Info
| Forms | step-chīld n. Pl. stepchild(e)re(n, steppechilder, (early gen.) steopcildena. |
| Etymology | OE stēop-cild, stēp-. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An orphan; (b) a stepchild; also fig.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.VA (Vsp D.14)14/34 : He sceal beon bewerigend wydewena & steopcildena.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)93.6 : Stepchildre [L pupillos] þai drape al dai.
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)131 : Þan studied sche..to do dernly a despit to here stepchilderen.
- (?c1410) Hoccl.Chancellor (Hnt HM 111)23 : I wayte on your bountee..Let me no stepchyld been.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)28/2 : Quene Ino..made sothen corne to be sowen forto disherite hire stepchildere.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)28/26 : A quene myghte be soo diuerse to here steppe-childer that..she myghte disherite them.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)48.385 : Sethen that stepchildren that ȝe ben, he [God] hath þow forȝeten ful Clen.
- ?a1500 Othea (Hrl 838)37/17 : A qween or a lady is sumtyme seen deuerse & vnkynde to hyr stepchyldren.