targe

English

Etymology

From Middle English targe, either:

• from Old French targe, from Frankish *targa (“buckler”);

or

• from Old English targa (masculine) and targe (feminine);

both ultimately from Old Norse targa (“round shield”) from Proto-Germanic *targǭ (“edge”), from Proto-Indo-European *derǵʰ- (“fenced lot”). Akin to Old High German zarga (“side wall, rim”) (German Zarge (“border, frame”)). However, the soft -g- seems to indicate a French origin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tɑːd͡ʒ/
• IPA^(key): /tɑɹd͡ʒ/

Noun

targe (plural targes)

1. (archaic) A small shield
   • 1819, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe:

     The Jester wore his usual fantastic habit, but late accidents had led him to adopt a good cutting falchion, instead of his wooden sword, with a targe to match it.

2. (archaic) A tassel or pendant

Derived terms

• target

Anagrams

• 'Gater, Greta, ergat-, grate, great, great-, retag, terga

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Dutch

Alternative forms

• targie (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle Dutch targe. Spelling variants indicate that the Middle Dutch word derived from or was influenced by Old or Middle French.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtɑr.ʒə/
• Hyphenation: tar‧ge

Noun

targe f (plural targes)

1. (historical, dated) A targe (concave, round or variously shaped shield).

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French

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle French targe "round shield, targe" from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old French targe "buckler", from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Frankish *targa (“buckler”), probably from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old Norse targa (“small round shield”) (whence also Old English targe, targa (“shield”)) from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Germanic *targǭ (“edge”), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Indo-European *dArg'h- (“fenced lot”). Akin to Old High German zarga (“side wall, rim”) (German Zarge (“frame”)).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /taʁʒ/

Noun

targe f (plural targes)

1. a targe, buckler

Further reading

• “targe”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• gâter, gérât

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Middle French

Noun

targe f (plural targes)

1. targe