hircine
English
Alternative forms
- hirquine (rare)
Etymology
First attested in its present form in 1650–1660:[1] From Middle English hircyne[2], from Latin hircīnus (“of a goat”, “goat-scented”);[1][2][3][4] equivalent to hircus (“a male goat”)[2][4] + -īnus (“-ine”).[1] Cognates: French hircin[4]. Compare caprine, haedine.
Pronunciation
Adjective
hircine (comparative more hircine, superlative most hircine)
- (not comparable) Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of goats.[1][2][3][4][5]
- 1838, Hypericaceæ, entry in The Penny Cyclopaedia, Volume 12, page 411,
- Many[plants of family Hypericaceae] are objects of ornament, but they are little cultivated because they have frequently a disagreeable hircine odour.
- 1820, J. J. Virsey, The Natural History of Medicines, Aliments and Poisons, taken from the Kingdoms of Nature, The London Medical and Physical Journal, Volume 44, page 247,
- Linnæus formed seven classes of odours of medicines; namely, the aromatic, fragrant, ambrosiac, alliaceous, hircine, fetid, and nauseous.
- Possessed of an odour reminiscent of goats.[1][2][3][4][5]
- Libidinous; lustful.[1][3]
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
Noun
hircine (uncountable)
Synonyms
- (hircinous resin): hircite
References
- “hircine” defined by Dictionary.com Unabridged, © Random House, Inc. 2009
- “hircine” listed in The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- “hircine, a. and n.” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2nd Ed.; 1989]
- “hircine” listed in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
- “hircine” defined by WordNet® 3·0, © 2006 by Princeton University
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