myrre

Middle English

Etymology 1

Noun

myrre

  1. alternative form of mire (mire)

Etymology 2

Noun

myrre

  1. alternative form of mirre

Old English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin myrrha, from Ancient Greek μύρρα (múrrha).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈmyr.re/, [ˈmyrˠ.rˠe]

Noun

myrre f

  1. myrrh
    • late 9th century, Old English Martyrology
      Him mon brōhte gold tō ġefe, on þǣm wæs ġetācnod þæt hē wæs sōð cyning. Ōðer him brōhte reċels, on þǣm wæs ġetācnod þæt hē wæs sōð god. Sē þridda him brōhte myrran þā wyrt, on þǣm wæs ġetācnod þæt hē wæs dēadlīċ mon, ond þæt hē þurh his ānes dēað ealle ġelēaffulle men ġefrēode fram ēċum dēade.
      One man brought gold to give to him, which signified that he was a true king. The second brought him incense, which signified that he was the true god. The third brought him the myrrh-plant, which signified that he was a mortal man, and that through his death alone, he freed all faithful men from eternal death.

Declension

Weak feminine (n-stem):

singular plural
nominative myrre
accusative myrran
genitive myrran
dative myrran

Descendants

  • Middle English: mirre, myrre, mirra, myrra, mirr, mir, murre, myre, mirrhe
    • Middle English: mirre