attery

English

Alternative forms

• attry
• aitrie, aittrie, etri (Scotland)

Etymology

From Middle English attery, attry, attri, ætriȝ, from Old English ǣttriġ, ǣtriġ (“poisonous”), from Proto-Germanic *aitrīgaz (“poisonous”), equivalent to atter (“poison”) +‎ -y. Cognate with Dutch etterig (“purulent”), German eiterig (“purulent, festering”), Swedish ettrig (“poisonous”).

Adjective

attery (comparative more attery, superlative most attery)

1. (dialectal or archaic) Poisonous; venomous
2. (dialectal or archaic) Pernicious
3. (of a wound or sore, dialectal or archaic) Purulent; containing pus or matter
4. (of mood or disposition, dialectal or archaic) Bad-tempered; spiteful; quarrelsome; peevish; angry; hot-headed
5. (of weather, dialectal or archaic) Cold; bleak; grim

Synonyms

• atterly

Noun

attery (uncountable)

1. (of weather, dialectal or archaic) Cold, bleak weather.

Related terms

• atter

Anagrams

• treaty, yatter