Middle English edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

Inherited from Old English wimpel, winpel, from Proto-Germanic *wimpilaz.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

wympel (plural wymples)

  1. A wimple; a female headcovering, especially (but not only) worn by nuns.
    • a. 1394, Geoffrey Chaucer, “General Prologue”, in The Canterbury Tales[1], lines 151–152:
      Ful semyly hir wympul pynched was / Hir nose tretys, hir eyen greye as glas []
      Her wimple was folded in quite a seemly way / Her nose [was] slender; her eyes [were] grey like glass []
  2. (rare) A veil used to cover the box which communion wafers are stored in.
  3. (rare) A coloured region of feathers on a bird of prey's head.

Related terms edit

Descendants edit

  • English: wimple
  • Scots: wympill

References edit