miniver

English

WOTD – 24 October 2011    

Alternative forms

• meniver, menyvere

Etymology

from Old French menu vair (“squirrel, squirrel fur”), from menu (“small”) + vair (“a type of fur”)

Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA: /ˈmɪnɪvə/
• (US) IPA: /ˈmɪnɪvɚ/

Noun

miniver (plural minivers)

1. A light gray or white fur used to trim the robes of judges or state executives, also used in medieval times.
   • 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book XII:

     Than there com furth a lykly knyght, and well apparaylede in scarlet furred with menyvere.

Translations

a light gray or white fur

• Finnish: kärpännahka (fi)
• German: Feh (de) n

• Russian: мех горностая (ru) (mex gornostaja)
• Spanish: armiño (es)

References

• miniver in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913