Middle English Dictionary Entry
cunte n.
Entry Info
| Forms | cunte n. Also conte, counte, queinte. |
| Etymology | Probably OE; cp. 'to cuntan heale' in Birch, Cart.Sax. 2.246 and Wallenberge PNKent 101. Corresp. to OI kunta, OFris., MDu. & MLG kunte. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A woman's private parts; cunte-beten, impotent (man); (b) the corresponding organ(s) of a female animal; (c) sexual intercourse; (d) in place names and surnames; grope ~ lane [see gropen v.]; shave ~ welle [see shaven v.].
Associated quotations
a
- a1325 Prov.Hend.(Cmb Gg 1.1)st.42 : Ȝeve þi cunte to cunni[n]g, And crave affetir wedding.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)172/12 : In wymmen þe necke of þe bladdre is schort & is maad fast to the cunte.
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.60vb (2.7) : Tentigo is callede..þe wombe-ȝate wawh, or elles..þe wome-ȝate tunge. In som contre it is callede þe kiker in þe cunt.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)70b/a : Vulua: a count or a wombe.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)636/26 : Hec wlua: Anglice, cuntte.
- c1440 Chaucer CT.WB.(Cmb Ii.3.26)D.444 : Conte [Heng: What eyleth yow to grucche thus and grone? Is it for ye wolde haue my queynte allone?].
- c1440 Lyarde (Thrn)p.281 : Freris hase..sworne ilkane to other, Salle never no counte betyne mane bycomen ther brother; Bot if he may wele swyfe..thane he salle the habete take and bycome ther brother.
- c1440 Lyarde (Thrn)p.282 : Bete the cownte with ȝour neffes, whene ȝe may do no more.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)1193 : Lechery..hath a-vauncyd many a man. Þerfore, Mankynde, my leue lemman, I my cunte þou schalt crepe.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)60 : It dooþ gode .. to þe greuaunces of þe cunte [vr. womans priuey membre].
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)95 : Stampe lelie leuys, and þe iuus þerof vnderput to cuntes makeþ hem nessh.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)101 : Gladene rotes and hony .., vnderputte to þe cunte [vr. matrice mouþe] purgiþ oute þe aftirburdon.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)108b/a : It ys good for all maner of akynge & swellyngis of a mans ballockis or of a womans kunte.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)750/34 : Hec vulva: a cunt. Hic cunnus: idem est.
b
- ?a1475 Macer (Htrn 497) 75/221 : Frote wel a bareyn bestes cunte with nettell leues or with þe Iuys þerof & þe best shal conceyue.
c
- ?a1475 Macer (Htrn 497) 115/1436 : Mynte Iuys putte under [Stockh: vnderput to] þe matryce afore þe kunte [L matrici succus si subditur illius ante quam fiat coitus] makyth þat þe woman shal not conceyue atte þat tyme.
d
- (1218-19) Nickname in LuSE 5578 : Gunoka Cunteles.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Example in sense (c) appears (?) in this instance to mean 'sexual intercourse,' assuming that the English fairly represents the Latin. So avers Frisk, editor of the critical edition. This sense not otherwise attested till the 19th century, and then only in slang context.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. cunt.