tappestere
Middle English
FWOTD – 25 February 2023
Alternative forms
- tapestere, tapister, tappester, tappster, tapstare, tapster, tapstere
Etymology
Inherited from Old English tæppestre; equivalent to tappe (“plug”) + -estere.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈtap(ə)stər(ə)/, /ˈtap(ə)strə/
Noun
tappestere (plural tappesteres)
- A tavernkeeper or tapster; a person (originally a woman) who sells ale.
- 1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “Here Bygynneth the Book of the Tales of Caunt́burẏ”, in The Tales of Caunt́burẏ (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published c. 1400–1410], OCLC 14061358, folio 5, recto, lines 239-241:
- Ther to he stroong was / as a Champioun / He knew the tauernes wel in euery town / And euery hoſtiler / and Tappeſtere […]
- He also was as strong as a champion; / he knew the bars well in every town, / and every innkeeper and tavernkeeper […]
- Coordinate term: taverner
-
Descendants
- English: tapster
- ⇒ English: tapstress
References
- “tappester(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.