mesel

English

Forms

• mesell, mysel

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman mesel, Old French mesel, from Late Latin misellus (“leper”), from Latin miser (“wretched”). Compare measles.

Adjective

mesel (comparative more mesel, superlative most mesel)

1. (obsolete) Having leprosy; leprous. [14th-17th c.]

Noun

mesel (plural mesels)

1. (obsolete) A leper. [14th-16th c.]
2. (obsolete) A wretched or revolting person. [14th-16th c.]
   • 1395, John Wycliffe, Bible, Isaiah LIII:

     Verily he suffride oure sikenesses, and he bar oure sorewis; and we arettiden him as a mysel and smytun of God and maad low.

3. (obsolete) Leprosy. [15th-16th c.]
   • 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book XVII:

     So hit befelle many yerys agone there happened on her a malodye, and whan she had lyene a grete whyle she felle unto a mesell, and no leche cowde remedye her [...].

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Old French

Etymology

Latin misellus.

Noun

mesel m (oblique plural mesés, nominative singular mesés, nominative plural mesel)

1. leper

Descendants

• English: measle, mesel