mewe

See also: mewę

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch *mēo, from Proto-Germanic *maiwaz.

Noun

mêwe f

  1. seagull

Inflection

Weak feminine noun
singular plural
nominative mêwe mêwen
accusative mêwe mêwen
genitive mêwe, mêwen mêwen
dative mêwe, mêwen mêwen

Descendants

  • Dutch: meeuw
  • Limburgish: mieëw

Further reading

  • mewe”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
  • Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “meeuwe”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page meeuwe

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English mǣw, from Proto-West Germanic *maiwī, from Proto-Germanic *maiwaz.

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /mɛu̯/

Noun

mewe

  1. (rare) seagull, gull (member of the family Laridae)
Descendants
References

Etymology 2

From Anglo-Norman mue; reinforced by Middle French mue.

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈmiu̯(ə)/

Noun

mewe (plural mewes)

  1. A cage used for allowing birds to shed their feathers.
  2. A cage or compartment used for preparing animals to be used as meat.
  3. Any place where one is locked up or secured; a cage or cell.
  4. A place used as a hideout, refuge or redoubt.
Derived terms
Descendants
  • English: mew (mostly obsolete)
References

Adjective

mewe

  1. (rare, Late Middle English) Currently shedding its feathers.
References

Etymology 3

Verb

mewe

  1. alternative form of mewen (to moult)

Etymology 4

Verb

mewe

  1. alternative form of mewen (to mew)