demaine

Old French

Alternative forms

• demeigne, demeine, demene, demesne, demeyne, domaine, domane

Etymology 1

From Latin dominicus.

Adjective

demaine m (oblique and nominative feminine singular demaine)

1. seignorial; lordly
2. possessive (indicating possession, ownership)

Etymology 2

Substantivation of the above adjective, or taken from Latin dominium.

Noun

demaine oblique singular, m (oblique plural demaines, nominative singular demaines, nominative plural demaine)

1. entourage of a king or another important person
2. holdings (land)
   • c. 1155, Wace, Le Roman de Brut:

     Romain en demaine l'avoient

     The Romans had it as a territory

Descendants

• French: domaine
  • → English: domaine
  • → German: Domäne
  • → Romanian: domeniu
• → Italian: demanio
• → Middle English: demayne
  • English: demesne
• → Middle English: demeine, demain
  • English: domain

References

• Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l’ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IX^e au XV^e siècle (1881) (demaine)