Middle English Dictionary Entry
citrīn(e adj. & n.
Entry Info
| Forms | citrīn(e adj. & n. Also sit-, citherin. |
| Etymology | L & OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Reddish or brownish yellow; orange, amber [distinguished from yellow]; (b) orange or yellow; pome ~, a citrus fruit; ozimus (ocimum) ~, a medicinal plant, perhaps lemon basil Ocimum X citriodorum or Ocimum X africanum.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2167 : His nose was heigh, his eyen bright citryn [vrr. citrine, sitryne], His lippes rounde, his colour was sangwyn.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)196a/a : Avripigmentum is..a manere of frestoone liche to golde in colour..and is double reede and citrine.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)204b/a : Brande lede bredeþ reed colour..and if þe fuyre is more strong, it torneþ in to Cytryn and þer after..in to white colour of flour of lede.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)217b/a : Þe applis of cedre beþ grete and longe, and cytryne oþer ȝolowe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)306a/a : Bitwene whyte and rede, þe ȝolow is toward þe white & þe citryne toward þe rede..cytryne is furþer fro blak þan is purpure.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)309a/a : Saffrin colour dyeþ and coloureþ humours and liquours more þan cytryne.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)309a/b : Cytryne coloure is next to þe rede in þe oon syde, as purpure is next þer to in þe oþer syde.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)157b/b : Waterlechez..ar a maner blacke wormes..wiþ citrine and ȝelow lynez after þaire backe.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)39/7 : Þe quitour is citryne or ȝellow and blo or wanne.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)31a/a : The natural [choler] is an humour hote and drye..rede in colour, declynynge to a manere citryne.
- c1450 Lydg.SSecr.Ctn.(Sln 2464)1950 : Wyn holsom also owith to be of Colour So atwen Red and gold ffyne..of Colour Citrine.
- a1550 *Norton OAlch.(BodeMus 63)1540 : Rufe and cytrine Be meane colours betwene whit and reade.
b
- c1400 Daniel *Herbal (Arun 42)f.44r : Ozimus .. Gariofilatus .. is an erbe with smale leuys & [Ozimus] citryn .. longe as hath citrulus.
- c1400 Daniel *Herbal (Arun 42)f.70v : Pomum citrinum, pom citrin, is of 3 manere kynde. The rynde, þe skyn of hym, i. þe parure, is hot & drye.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)33/14 : The naturell bawme is full cleer & of cytryne colour.
- a1500(?a1410) Lydg.CB (Lnsd 699)235 : A ston which callid is iagounce..Citryne of colour, lik garnetes of entaile.
- a1500 Peterb.Lapid.(Peterb 33)p.96 : Þe stone iacincte..citrin & some blew.
- a1550 *Norton OAlch.(BodeMus 63)1859 : Citrine Colour, yeloe as ye se in golde..in vryne, hony, lye and gall.
2.
(a) Of skin coloring or complexion: yellowish, sallow; (b) colre citrine, a variety of unnatural colre resulting from the mixture of the 'humor' colre with thin phlegm.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)36a/a : If corupt colera haþ þe maistrie in þe body, þe skyn is ȝelowȝ oþir citrine [L glauca vel citrina].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)44b/a : Ȝif þey [cheeks] ben broun in colour oþir citrin.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)59b/a : Ȝelouȝ colour..tokeneþ feblenes of hete..depe red tokeneþ strengþe of hete..citrine & liȝt red tokeneþ mene.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)307b/b : Colour of skynne chaungeþ..as it fareþ in colerike men þat beþ citryne of colour.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)124b/a : Iuel colour forsoþ of yuel humours, as blac of malencolic, white of fleumatic, citrine..of colric.
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.SSecr.(Sln 2464)1354 : Coleryk men, Citryn of visage.
- a1450-a1475 Lydg.TB (Bergen)4.4465 : Þi wrath is ay so fretynge & so kene! And causest men to be..Consumpt, sklendre, broun & citryn hewed.
- c1475 Of yiftis (Hrl 2251)14 : The coleryk..is comunely of colour cytryne.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)90b/a : Som tercian comeþ of kynde colera and som of vnkynde colera, as of citrine and ȝelouȝe colera.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)28b/b : If þynne fleume be medled with yt, it [the humor choler] is made colre citrine.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)28b/a : [Certain pustules] ben of colera citrina i. of citrine colre.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Lydg.CB Interpol.(Hrl 2407)17 : The setryne reby of ryche degreys..passeth al stonys þt ys under hevyn.
Note: New form: Also..setrine.
Note: This quot. postdates sense 1.(a).
Note: (Rubies may exhibit a range of secondary hues.)
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.2 Merch.(Hrl 2255)307 : Yif of colra he take his groundement, Pure or vnpure, citryn or vitellyne, Gyles you techith to iuge it by vryne.
Note: This quot. needed for date and non-medical context in sense 2.(b).
Note: Form citherin does not seem to be in any of the quots. Also, there appears to be no form sitrin as is suggested in the current form section.--notes per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.17ra (1.4) : If þe vryn aperyn golden or citrine and þenne and clere and he be coleric complexioun, it sayþ helthe.
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.20ra (1.4) : Þai þat eten litil and drynkyn litil maken vryn wel colourede, s. citrin or elles rede, & þenne.
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.66rb (2.9) : Citryn colour in vryn is mene bitwene ȝelowe & rede, & subcitrin is more bitwene ȝelow and white.
Note: Additional quots.