English edit

Etymology edit

From Middle English governer, governere, guvernere, from Old French gouvreneur; equivalent to govern +‎ -er.

Noun edit

governer (plural governers)

  1. Obsolete form of governor.
    • [1529], [John Frith], A Pistle to the Christen Reader: The Revelation of Antichrist. Antithesis / Wherin Are Compared To Geder Christes Actes and Oure Holye Father the Popes., [Antwerp]: [Johannes Hoochstraten]:
      And oute of theſe caves and dennes are they called to be governers and curattes of chirches / when they ſeme to chouſe the beſt.
    • 1553, Eras[mus] Sarcerius, translated by Rychard Tauerner, Commõ Places of Scripture Ordrely and after a Compendious Forme of Teaching, Set Forth with No Litle Laboure, [], London: [] Nycolas Hyll for Robert Toye, [], folio xc, verso:
      Fynallye the holye ghoſte maye alſo be ſayde a cauſe of thys lybertye, foꝛaſmuche as he is the gouerner and pꝛeſeruer therof.
    • c. 1580 (date written), Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “[The Second Booke] Chapter 2”, in Fulke Greville, Matthew Gwinne, and John Florio, editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: [] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC; republished in Albert Feuillerat, editor, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia (Cambridge English Classics: The Complete Works of Sir Philip Sidney; I), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: University Press, 1912, →OCLC, page 154:
      O wretched mankind (said I then to my selfe) in whom witte (which should be the governer of his welfare) becomes the traitor to his blessednes.
    • 1589, Zacharias Vrsinus, translated by Henry Parry, The Summe of Christian Religion: Delivered by Zacharias Vrsinus in His Lectures vpon the Catechisme, Authorised by the Noble Prince Fredericke throughout His Dominions: [], Oxford, Oxon: [] Ioseph Barnes, [], page 748:
      And whẽ alſo he ſaieth, Of many, hereby is cõfirmed, that by the name of the church, wherof Chriſt ſpeaketh Mat. 18. is not vnderſtoode the cõmon multitude, but the chief governers of the church.

Old French edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From Latin gubernāre, present active infinitive of gubernō, from Ancient Greek κυβερνάω (kubernáō).

Verb edit

governer

  1. to guide; to steer
  2. to govern

Conjugation edit

This verb conjugates as a first-group verb ending in -er. The forms that would normally end in *-rns, *-rnt are modified to rz, rt. Old French conjugation varies significantly by date and by region. The following conjugation should be treated as a guide.

Descendants edit