basilicok

Middle English

Alternative forms

• baselycoc

Etymology

From Old French basilicoc, extension of basilique.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /basiliˈkɔk/

Noun

basilicok

1. (rare) basilisk
   • 14th c., Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, The Parson’s Tale:

     The first fingre is the foole loking of the foole woman and of the foole man, that sleth right as the basilicok sleth folk by venime of his sight: for the coveitise of the eyen foloweth the coveitise of the herte.

     The first finger [of the devil’s hand] is the foolish looking of the foolish woman and of the foolish man; that slays just as the basilisk slays folk by the venom of his sight, for the covetousness of the eyes follows the covetousness of the heart.

   Synonyms: basilicke, cocatrice

References

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