avoutrie

Middle English

Alternative forms

• avowtrye

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French avouterie, from Latin adulterium.

Noun

avoutrie (plural avoutries)

1. adultery
   • 14th c., Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, The Friar’s Tale:

     Whilom ther was dwellynge in my contree
     An erchedeken, a man of heigh degree,
     That boldely dide execucioun
     In punysshynge of fornicacioun,
     Of wicchecraft, and eek of bawderye,
     Of diffamacioun, and avowtrye,
     Of chirche reves, and of testamentz,
     Of contractes and of lakke of sacramentz,
     Of usure, and of symonye also.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Descendants

• English: advowtry, avowtry

References

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