traytouresse

Middle English

Alternative forms

• thrayteresse, traiteresse, traitores, traitouresse, traitresse, tratoures, trayteres, trayteresse, traytoresse, traytouras, traytoures, traytures, treyteresse

Etymology

From Middle French traitresse, Anglo-Norman traiteresse, treiteresce; equivalent to traytour +‎ -esse.

Noun

traytouresse

1. traitoress: female traitor
   • a1500(?a1450), GRom.(Hrl 7333) 248:

     She was my wyf, & I hir lorde, and she helde this knyʒt in a-vowtrye vndir me, & falslye she caste my dethe..þe traytoure and þe traytouresse.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 1532(?a1400), RRose (Thynne) 7389:

     That false traytouresse vntrewe [Dame Abstinence] Was lyke that salowe horse..That signifyeth to folke beshrewed That ben al ful of trecherye And pale through hypocrisye.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Descendants

• English: traitoress, traitress

References

• “traitǒuresse, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.