"bef" meaning in Middle English

See bef in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /beːf/, /bøːf/ (note: Southern, West Midland)
Etymology: Borrowed from Anglo-Norman beof, Old French buef; ultimately from Latin bovem, accusative of bōs. Doublet of cow; first attested in c. 1300. Etymology templates: {{ety|enm|:bor|xno:buef<alt:beof>}} [Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from", "terms" : [ { "alt" : "beof", "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "alt" : "bovem", "children" : [ { "keyword_abbrev" : "bor.", "is_uncertain" : true, "keyword_label" : "Borrowed from", "terms" : [ { "lang_name" : "Osco-Umbrian", "status" : "inline", "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "id" : "cow", "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "id" : "cattle", "children" : [ ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Proto-Indo-European", "term" : "*gʷṓws", "lang" : "ine-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Proto-Italic", "term" : "*gʷōs", "lang" : "itc-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang" : "itc-sbl" } ], "keyword" : "bor" } ], "lang_name" : "Latin", "term" : "bos", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "la" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang_name" : "Anglo-Norman", "term" : "buef", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "xno" } ], "keyword" : "bor" } ], "lang_name" : "Middle English", "term" : "bef", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "enm" }" data-lang="enm" data-title="bef">, {{bor+|enm|xno|beof}} Borrowed from Anglo-Norman beof, {{bor|enm|fro|buef}} Old French buef, {{der|enm|la|bovem}} Latin bovem, {{doublet|enm|cow}} Doublet of cow, {{etydate|c|1300|nocap=1}} first attested in c. 1300 Head templates: {{head|enm|noun|g=|g2=|g3=|head=|sort=}} bef, {{enm-noun|-|gen=beves}} bef (uncountable, genitive singular beves) Forms: beves [genitive, singular], beef [alternative], buf [alternative], beeff [alternative, Late-Middle-English], beeffe [alternative, Late-Middle-English], befe [alternative, Late-Middle-English], bief [alternative, Late-Middle-English], byffe [alternative], beffe [alternative, Northern], beif [alternative, Northern], beiff [alternative, Northern], beof [alternative], boef [alternative], bouf [alternative]
  1. beef (the meat of a cow or ox) Tags: uncountable
    Sense id: en-bef-enm-noun-tehv7dMa Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Pages using etymon with no ID, Bovines, Mammals, Meats Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 50 50 Disambiguation of Pages using etymon with no ID: 50 50 Disambiguation of Bovines: 60 40 Disambiguation of Mammals: 82 18 Disambiguation of Meats: 90 10
  2. cow or ox, especially as a carcass Tags: uncountable
    Sense id: en-bef-enm-noun-Q2OlCQj0 Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Pages using etymon with no ID Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 50 50 Disambiguation of Pages using etymon with no ID: 50 50
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Categories (other): Livestock Disambiguation of Livestock: 0 0

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "categories": [
    {
      "_dis": "0 0",
      "kind": "other",
      "langcode": "enm",
      "name": "Livestock",
      "orig": "enm:Livestock",
      "parents": [],
      "source": "w+disamb"
    }
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "beef"
    },
    {
      "descendants": [
        {
          "lang": "Scots",
          "lang_code": "sco",
          "word": "beef"
        }
      ],
      "lang": "Middle Scots",
      "lang_code": "gmw-msc",
      "word": "beif"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": ":bor",
        "3": "xno:buef<alt:beof>"
      },
      "expansion": "[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"beof\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"bovem\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"lang_name\" : \"Osco-Umbrian\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"cow\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"cattle\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*gʷṓws\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*gʷōs\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang\" : \"itc-sbl\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"bos\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Anglo-Norman\", \"term\" : \"buef\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"xno\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"bef\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" }\" data-lang=\"enm\" data-title=\"bef\">",
      "name": "ety"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "xno",
        "3": "beof"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from Anglo-Norman beof",
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    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "buef"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French buef",
      "name": "bor"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "bovem"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin bovem",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "cow"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of cow",
      "name": "doublet"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "c",
        "2": "1300",
        "nocap": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "first attested in c. 1300",
      "name": "etydate"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Borrowed from Anglo-Norman beof, Old French buef; ultimately from Latin bovem, accusative of bōs. Doublet of cow; first attested in c. 1300.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "beves",
      "tags": [
        "genitive",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "beef",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "buf",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "beeff",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "beeffe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "befe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "bief",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "byffe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "beffe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Northern"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "beif",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Northern"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "beiff",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Northern"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "beof",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "boef",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "bouf",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "noun",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "head": "",
        "sort": ""
      },
      "expansion": "bef",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-",
        "gen": "beves"
      },
      "expansion": "bef (uncountable, genitive singular beves)",
      "name": "enm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "50 50",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "50 50",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages using etymon with no ID",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "60 40",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Bovines",
          "orig": "enm:Bovines",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "82 18",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Mammals",
          "orig": "enm:Mammals",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "90 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Meats",
          "orig": "enm:Meats",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "beef (the meat of a cow or ox)"
      ],
      "id": "en-bef-enm-noun-tehv7dMa",
      "links": [
        [
          "beef",
          "beef"
        ],
        [
          "meat",
          "meat#English"
        ],
        [
          "cow",
          "cow#English"
        ],
        [
          "ox",
          "ox#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "50 50",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "50 50",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages using etymon with no ID",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "cow or ox, especially as a carcass"
      ],
      "id": "en-bef-enm-noun-Q2OlCQj0",
      "links": [
        [
          "cow",
          "cow"
        ],
        [
          "ox",
          "ox"
        ],
        [
          "carcass",
          "carcass#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/beːf/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bøːf/",
      "note": "Southern, West Midland"
    }
  ],
  "word": "bef"
}
{
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    "Middle English doublets",
    "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
    "Middle English lemmas",
    "Middle English nouns",
    "Middle English terms borrowed from Anglo-Norman",
    "Middle English terms borrowed from Old French",
    "Middle English terms derived from Anglo-Norman",
    "Middle English terms derived from Latin",
    "Middle English terms derived from Old French",
    "Middle English terms derived from Osco-Umbrian languages",
    "Middle English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
    "Middle English terms derived from Proto-Italic",
    "Middle English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European word *gʷṓws",
    "Middle English uncountable nouns",
    "Pages using etymon with no ID",
    "Pages with 6 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "enm:Bovines",
    "enm:Livestock",
    "enm:Mammals",
    "enm:Meats"
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "beef"
    },
    {
      "descendants": [
        {
          "lang": "Scots",
          "lang_code": "sco",
          "word": "beef"
        }
      ],
      "lang": "Middle Scots",
      "lang_code": "gmw-msc",
      "word": "beif"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": ":bor",
        "3": "xno:buef<alt:beof>"
      },
      "expansion": "[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"beof\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"bovem\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"lang_name\" : \"Osco-Umbrian\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"cow\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"cattle\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*gʷṓws\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*gʷōs\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang\" : \"itc-sbl\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"bos\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Anglo-Norman\", \"term\" : \"buef\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"xno\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"bef\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" }\" data-lang=\"enm\" data-title=\"bef\">",
      "name": "ety"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "xno",
        "3": "beof"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from Anglo-Norman beof",
      "name": "bor+"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "buef"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French buef",
      "name": "bor"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "bovem"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin bovem",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "cow"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of cow",
      "name": "doublet"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "c",
        "2": "1300",
        "nocap": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "first attested in c. 1300",
      "name": "etydate"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Borrowed from Anglo-Norman beof, Old French buef; ultimately from Latin bovem, accusative of bōs. Doublet of cow; first attested in c. 1300.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "beves",
      "tags": [
        "genitive",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "beef",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "buf",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "beeff",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "beeffe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "befe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "bief",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "byffe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "beffe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Northern"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "beif",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Northern"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "beiff",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Northern"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "beof",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "boef",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "bouf",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
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        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "head": "",
        "sort": ""
      },
      "expansion": "bef",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-",
        "gen": "beves"
      },
      "expansion": "bef (uncountable, genitive singular beves)",
      "name": "enm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "beef (the meat of a cow or ox)"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "beef",
          "beef"
        ],
        [
          "meat",
          "meat#English"
        ],
        [
          "cow",
          "cow#English"
        ],
        [
          "ox",
          "ox#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "cow or ox, especially as a carcass"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "cow",
          "cow"
        ],
        [
          "ox",
          "ox"
        ],
        [
          "carcass",
          "carcass#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/beːf/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bøːf/",
      "note": "Southern, West Midland"
    }
  ],
  "word": "bef"
}

Download raw JSONL data for bef meaning in Middle English (4.5kB)

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  "section": "Middle English",
  "subsection": "",
  "title": "bef",
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}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable Middle English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-05-12 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-05-01 using wiktextract (f3d3fdb and ae80fde). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.