miniver

English
WOTD – 24 October 2011

Alternative forms

Etymology

from Old French menu vair (“squirrel, squirrel fur”), from menu (“small”) + vair (“a type of fur”)[1].

Pronunciation

Noun

miniver (countable and uncountable, plural minivers)

  1. A light gray or white fur used to trim the robes of judges or state executives, also used in medieval times.
    • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter j, in Le Morte Darthur, book XII:
      Thenne came forth a lykely knyghte and wel apparaylled in scarlet furred with myneuer / And anone as he sawe syr launcelot / he demed that he shold be oute of his wytte / And thenne he said with fayre speche good man leye doune that swerd / for as me semeth / thow haddest more nede of slepe and of warme clothes / than to welde that swerd / As for that said syr Launcelot come not to nyȝ for and thow doo wete thou wel I will slee the

Translations

References
  1. Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IXe au XVe siècle (1881) (menu, volume 5, page 245, column 3)
  • miniver in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
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