besaunt
Middle English
Alternative forms
- besand, besant, besaund, besawnt, bessant, beysant, bysaund
Etymology
From Old French besant, from Latin byzantius.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /bɛːˈza(u̯)nt/, /bɛˈza(u̯)nt/, /ˈbɛːza(u̯)nt/, /ˈbɛza(u̯)nt/
Noun
besaunt (plural besauntes or besauns)
- A bezant (Byzantine gold coin) or similar coin:
- A bezant serving as ornament.
- An ancient coin, especially a talent, drachma, or mina.
- (figurative) A talent or skill.
Descendants
- English: bezant, besant, byzant
References
- “bē̆saunt, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.