childer
English
Etymology
From Middle English childer, childre, from Old English ċildra, ċildru.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈt͡ʃɪldə(ɹ)/
Audio (Southern England): (file)
Noun
childer
- (Ireland, obsolete elsewhere) Plural of child.
- 1906, Halliwell Sutcliffe, A Benedick in Arcady:
- Parents, I've noticed, have a trick of saying their prayers through their childer on weathersome days.
- (fantasy) Plural of childe (“self-turned vampire”).
Noun
childer (plural childers or children)
- (Ireland, Northern England) A child.
- 1839, Abel BYWATER, The Sheffield Dialect. [A Series of Papers in that Dialect, with a Glossary.], page 223:
- As yo ma be quoit shure where there's agret family a childer, a wumman's loik tubbe varra throng ina monin
- 1894, Emily Lawless, Maelcho: A Sixteenth Century Narrative:
- Aye has he, Dan'l Drax, so do ee larn him what cums to they as lets off rebels. He be safter nor turnips, nor boiled turnips, so he be. Was blubberin' while back over yon rebel an'a childer !
- 1899, Frederick R. Smith, Doxie Dent: A Clog-shop Chronicle:
- Ay, a childer's class, tha' knows — a Katty — Katty — Aw dunna know wot they caw'n it.
Related terms
Further reading
- Merriam-Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged Accessed 23 Feb. 2006.
- The O'Byrne Files, "Dublin Slang Dictionary" Accessed 23 Feb. 2006.
- “childer”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
Anagrams
Middle English
Noun
childer
- alternative form of childre
Derived terms
- Childermasse