sterne of þe see

Middle English

Etymology

Calque of Latin Stella Maris, an epithet for the Virgin Mary. Arose as a scribal mistranscription of stilla maris (“drop of the sea”), which in turn was an interpretation of Mary's name in Aramaic, מרים (Maryam), as Hebrew מר (mar, “drop”) +‎ ים (yam, “sea”).

Proper noun

sterne of þe see

  1. (Christianity) The Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ.

References

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