mastyf

Middle English

Alternative forms

mastif, masty, mastyff, mestyf, maystyf, mestif

Etymology

From Old French mastin (modern French mâtin), from Vulgar Latin *mansuetinus (“tamed (animal)”), from Latin mansuetus (“tamed”). The final -f is due to influence from Old French mestif; some forms have totally assimilated to that word.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /masˈtiːf/, /ˈmastif/

Noun

mastyf (plural mastyves or mastyfes)

mastiff

Descendants

English: mastiff
Scots: mastiff

References

“mastī̆f (n.)” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-03-12.

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