quoy

English

Etymology

From the Norn reflex of Old Norse kví (“enclosure”).

Noun

quoy (plural quoys)

1. (Scotland, chiefly in place names) An area of wasteland (or common land) now enclosed for farming.

French

Pronoun

quoy

1. Obsolete spelling of quoi.

Middle French

Alternative forms

• quoi

Pronoun

quoy

1. what
   • 1602, Laurent de Paris, Le palais d'amour divin de Jésus, et de l'âme chrestienne ou toute personne tant religieuse que séculière peut apprendre à aymer Dieu en Dieu, page 9:

     A quoy pensez vous ?

     What are you thinking about?

2. (interjective) what? (indicates surprise or anger)

Usage notes

• Like modern French quoi, chiefly used after prepositions such as à, de, comme, etc.

References

• quoi on Dictionnaire du Moyen Français (1330–1500) (in French)