mammothrept
English edit
Etymology edit
From Late Latin mammothreptus (“kept at the breast too long”), from Koine Greek μαμμόθρεπτος (mammóthreptos, “brought up by one’s grandmother”), from Ancient Greek μάμμη (mámmē, “grandmother”) + θρεπτός (threptós) verbal adjective from τρέφω (tréphō, “to bring up”).
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
mammothrept (plural mammothrepts)
- (archaic) A spoiled child.
- 1601, Ben Jonson, Fountaine of Selfe-love, act IV scene 3:
- O, you are a meere mammothrept in judgement, then. Why, doe you not obserue how excellently the dittie is affected in euerie place?
- 1947, Robertson Davies, The Diary of Samuel Marchbanks:
- She concludes, "you better apologize." The day I apologize to you, you contumacious mammothrept, there will be two moons in the sky.
- 1970, Patrick O'Brian, Master & Commander:
- ‘And having seen the parents I am impatient to see this youth, the fruit of their strangely unattractive loins: will he be a wretched mammothrept?’
Translations edit
spoiled child
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