mastyf

Middle English

Alternative forms

• mastif, masty, mastyff, mestyf, maystyf, mestif

Etymology

From Old French mastin (modern French mâtin), from Vulgar Latin *mansuetinus (“tamed (animal)”), from Latin mansuetus (“tamed”). The final -f is due to influence from Old French mestif; some forms have totally assimilated to that word.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /masˈtiːf/, /ˈmastif/

Noun

mastyf (plural mastyves or mastyfes)

1. mastiff

Descendants

• English: mastiff
• Scots: mastiff

References

• “mastī̆f (n.)”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-03-12.