mayde child
Middle English
Alternative forms
- maide child, maide-child, maidechilde, maide childe
- mayde childe, mayde-chyld, maydechylde (Late Middle English)
Etymology
Either an alteration of mayden child after mayde + child or a phonetic evolution of it parallel to the development of mayden into mayde.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈmæi̯d(ə)ˌt͡ʃiːld/
Noun
mayde child (plural mayde childre or mayde children)
- A female baby, child, or young adult; a girl.
- Synonym: mayden child
- Antonym: knave child
Descendants
- English: maid child, maid-child, maidchild
- Yola: michel
References
- “maide-chīld, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.