bookfell

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English

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Etymology

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From Middle English bocfel (parchment), from Old English bōcfell (parchment, vellum), equivalent to book +‎ fell. Cognate with Old High German buohfel, puohfell (parchment), Middle High German buohvël (parchment), Old Norse bókfell (parchment).

Noun

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bookfell (plural bookfells) (obsolete)

  1. A skin prepared for writing upon; a sheet of vellum or parchment; paper.
  2. A vellum or parchment manuscript.
    • 1866, Thomas Oswald Cockayne, Apuleius (Barbarus), Dioscorides Pedanius (of Anazarbos), Leechdoms, wortcunning, and starcraft of early England:
      Write this on a bookfell or parchment so long that it may embrace the head on the outside, and hang it on the neck of the man who needs it; it will soon be well with him.
    • 1878, George Stephens, Thunor the Thunderer:
      I cannot refer to any facsimile of this bookfell.