"def" meaning in Middle English

See def in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /dɛ̝ːf/ Forms: deve [plural], deve [singular, weak], deef [alternative], deaf [alternative], dæf [alternative, Ormulum], defe [alternative, Late-Middle-English], deff [alternative, Late-Middle-English], deffe [alternative, Late-Middle-English], dyaf [alternative, Kent]
Rhymes: -ɛːf Etymology: PIE root *dʰewbʰ- Inherited from Old English dēaf, from Proto-West Germanic *daub, from Proto-Germanic *daubaz. Etymology templates: {{PIE root box|enm|dʰewbʰ-}} PIE root *dʰewbʰ-, {{yesno||i|I}} I, {{glossary|Inherited}} Inherited, {{inh|enm|ang|dēaf|||g=|g2=|g3=|id=|lit=|nocat=|pos=|sc=|sort=|tr=|ts=}} Old English dēaf, {{inh+|enm|ang|dēaf}} Inherited from Old English dēaf, {{inh|enm|gmw-pro|*daub}} Proto-West Germanic *daub, {{inh|enm|gem-pro|*daubaz}} Proto-Germanic *daubaz Head templates: {{head|enm|adjective|plural and weak singular|deve||{{{2}}}||{{{3}}}|head=}} def (plural and weak singular deve), {{enm-adj|deve}} def (plural and weak singular deve)
  1. Deaf; unable to hear:
    (figuratively) Inanimate, non-living.
    Tags: figuratively
    Sense id: en-def-enm-adj-P-4KMNbe Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Disability Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 34 34 22 10 Disambiguation of Disability: 40 40 13 7
  2. Deaf; unable to hear:
    Unhearing; unwilling to hear.
    Sense id: en-def-enm-adj-~wZPVvba Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Disability, Hearing Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 34 34 22 10 Disambiguation of Disability: 40 40 13 7 Disambiguation of Hearing: 37 50 11 2
  3. (Late Middle English) Worthless, empty:
    (surgery) Useless, nonfunctional (of veins or implements)
    Tags: Late-Middle-English
    Sense id: en-def-enm-adj-1dgbV3vl Categories (other): Late Middle English, Surgery, Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Disability Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 34 34 22 10 Disambiguation of Disability: 40 40 13 7 Topics: medicine, sciences, surgery
  4. (Late Middle English) Worthless, empty:
    (rare) Foolish, stupid.
    Tags: Late-Middle-English, rare
    Sense id: en-def-enm-adj-RgxQVF~e Categories (other): Late Middle English, Middle English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 34 34 22 10
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Related terms: defnesse, deven

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "deaf"
    },
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "Deaf"
    },
    {
      "descendants": [
        {
          "lang": "Scots",
          "lang_code": "sco",
          "word": "deef"
        },
        {
          "lang": "Scots",
          "lang_code": "sco",
          "word": "deif"
        },
        {
          "lang": "Scots",
          "lang_code": "sco",
          "word": "deaf"
        }
      ],
      "lang": "Middle Scots",
      "lang_code": "gmw-msc",
      "word": "deif"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dʰewbʰ-"
      },
      "expansion": "PIE root\n *dʰewbʰ-",
      "name": "PIE root box"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "",
        "2": "i",
        "3": "I"
      },
      "expansion": "I",
      "name": "yesno"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "Inherited"
      },
      "expansion": "Inherited",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "dēaf",
        "4": "",
        "5": "",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "id": "",
        "lit": "",
        "nocat": "",
        "pos": "",
        "sc": "",
        "sort": "",
        "tr": "",
        "ts": ""
      },
      "expansion": "Old English dēaf",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "dēaf"
      },
      "expansion": "Inherited from Old English dēaf",
      "name": "inh+"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*daub"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *daub",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*daubaz"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *daubaz",
      "name": "inh"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "PIE root\n *dʰewbʰ-\nInherited from Old English dēaf, from Proto-West Germanic *daub, from Proto-Germanic *daubaz.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "deve",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "deve",
      "tags": [
        "singular",
        "weak"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "deef",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "deaf",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "dæf",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Ormulum"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "defe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "deff",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "deffe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "dyaf",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Kent"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "adjective",
        "3": "plural and weak singular",
        "4": "deve",
        "5": "",
        "6": "{{{2}}}",
        "7": "",
        "8": "{{{3}}}",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "def (plural and weak singular deve)",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "deve"
      },
      "expansion": "def (plural and weak singular deve)",
      "name": "enm-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "adj",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "defnesse"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "deven"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "34 34 22 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "40 40 13 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Disability",
          "orig": "enm:Disability",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Deaf; unable to hear:",
        "Inanimate, non-living."
      ],
      "id": "en-def-enm-adj-P-4KMNbe",
      "links": [
        [
          "Deaf",
          "deaf"
        ],
        [
          "unable",
          "unable"
        ],
        [
          "hear",
          "hear"
        ],
        [
          "Inanimate",
          "inanimate"
        ],
        [
          "non-living",
          "non-living"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "Deaf; unable to hear:",
        "(figuratively) Inanimate, non-living."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "34 34 22 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "40 40 13 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Disability",
          "orig": "enm:Disability",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "37 50 11 2",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Hearing",
          "orig": "enm:Hearing",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Deaf; unable to hear:",
        "Unhearing; unwilling to hear."
      ],
      "id": "en-def-enm-adj-~wZPVvba",
      "links": [
        [
          "Deaf",
          "deaf"
        ],
        [
          "unable",
          "unable"
        ],
        [
          "hear",
          "hear"
        ],
        [
          "Unhearing",
          "unhearing"
        ],
        [
          "unwilling",
          "unwilling"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Late Middle English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Surgery",
          "orig": "enm:Surgery",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "34 34 22 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "40 40 13 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Disability",
          "orig": "enm:Disability",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Worthless, empty:",
        "Useless, nonfunctional (of veins or implements)"
      ],
      "id": "en-def-enm-adj-1dgbV3vl",
      "links": [
        [
          "Worthless",
          "worthless"
        ],
        [
          "empty",
          "empty"
        ],
        [
          "surgery",
          "surgery"
        ],
        [
          "Useless",
          "useless"
        ],
        [
          "nonfunctional",
          "nonfunctional"
        ],
        [
          "vein",
          "vein#English"
        ],
        [
          "implement",
          "implement#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Late Middle English) Worthless, empty:",
        "(surgery) Useless, nonfunctional (of veins or implements)"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "medicine",
        "sciences",
        "surgery"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Late Middle English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "34 34 22 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Worthless, empty:",
        "Foolish, stupid."
      ],
      "id": "en-def-enm-adj-RgxQVF~e",
      "links": [
        [
          "Worthless",
          "worthless"
        ],
        [
          "empty",
          "empty"
        ],
        [
          "Foolish",
          "foolish"
        ],
        [
          "stupid",
          "stupid"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Late Middle English) Worthless, empty:",
        "(rare) Foolish, stupid."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Late-Middle-English",
        "rare"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/dɛ̝ːf/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛːf"
    }
  ],
  "word": "def"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "Middle English adjectives",
    "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
    "Middle English lemmas",
    "Middle English terms derived from Old English",
    "Middle English terms derived from Proto-Germanic",
    "Middle English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic",
    "Middle English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *dʰewbʰ-",
    "Middle English terms inherited from Old English",
    "Middle English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic",
    "Middle English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic",
    "Pages with 8 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:Middle English/ɛːf",
    "Rhymes:Middle English/ɛːf/1 syllable",
    "enm:Disability",
    "enm:Hearing"
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "deaf"
    },
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "Deaf"
    },
    {
      "descendants": [
        {
          "lang": "Scots",
          "lang_code": "sco",
          "word": "deef"
        },
        {
          "lang": "Scots",
          "lang_code": "sco",
          "word": "deif"
        },
        {
          "lang": "Scots",
          "lang_code": "sco",
          "word": "deaf"
        }
      ],
      "lang": "Middle Scots",
      "lang_code": "gmw-msc",
      "word": "deif"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dʰewbʰ-"
      },
      "expansion": "PIE root\n *dʰewbʰ-",
      "name": "PIE root box"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "",
        "2": "i",
        "3": "I"
      },
      "expansion": "I",
      "name": "yesno"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "Inherited"
      },
      "expansion": "Inherited",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "dēaf",
        "4": "",
        "5": "",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "id": "",
        "lit": "",
        "nocat": "",
        "pos": "",
        "sc": "",
        "sort": "",
        "tr": "",
        "ts": ""
      },
      "expansion": "Old English dēaf",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "dēaf"
      },
      "expansion": "Inherited from Old English dēaf",
      "name": "inh+"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*daub"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *daub",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*daubaz"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *daubaz",
      "name": "inh"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "PIE root\n *dʰewbʰ-\nInherited from Old English dēaf, from Proto-West Germanic *daub, from Proto-Germanic *daubaz.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "deve",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "deve",
      "tags": [
        "singular",
        "weak"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "deef",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "deaf",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "dæf",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Ormulum"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "defe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "deff",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "deffe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "dyaf",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Kent"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "adjective",
        "3": "plural and weak singular",
        "4": "deve",
        "5": "",
        "6": "{{{2}}}",
        "7": "",
        "8": "{{{3}}}",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "def (plural and weak singular deve)",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "deve"
      },
      "expansion": "def (plural and weak singular deve)",
      "name": "enm-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "adj",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "defnesse"
    },
    {
      "word": "deven"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Deaf; unable to hear:",
        "Inanimate, non-living."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Deaf",
          "deaf"
        ],
        [
          "unable",
          "unable"
        ],
        [
          "hear",
          "hear"
        ],
        [
          "Inanimate",
          "inanimate"
        ],
        [
          "non-living",
          "non-living"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "Deaf; unable to hear:",
        "(figuratively) Inanimate, non-living."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Deaf; unable to hear:",
        "Unhearing; unwilling to hear."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Deaf",
          "deaf"
        ],
        [
          "unable",
          "unable"
        ],
        [
          "hear",
          "hear"
        ],
        [
          "Unhearing",
          "unhearing"
        ],
        [
          "unwilling",
          "unwilling"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Late Middle English",
        "enm:Surgery"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Worthless, empty:",
        "Useless, nonfunctional (of veins or implements)"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Worthless",
          "worthless"
        ],
        [
          "empty",
          "empty"
        ],
        [
          "surgery",
          "surgery"
        ],
        [
          "Useless",
          "useless"
        ],
        [
          "nonfunctional",
          "nonfunctional"
        ],
        [
          "vein",
          "vein#English"
        ],
        [
          "implement",
          "implement#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Late Middle English) Worthless, empty:",
        "(surgery) Useless, nonfunctional (of veins or implements)"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "medicine",
        "sciences",
        "surgery"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Late Middle English",
        "Middle English terms with rare senses"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Worthless, empty:",
        "Foolish, stupid."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Worthless",
          "worthless"
        ],
        [
          "empty",
          "empty"
        ],
        [
          "Foolish",
          "foolish"
        ],
        [
          "stupid",
          "stupid"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Late Middle English) Worthless, empty:",
        "(rare) Foolish, stupid."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Late-Middle-English",
        "rare"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/dɛ̝ːf/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛːf"
    }
  ],
  "word": "def"
}

Download raw JSONL data for def meaning in Middle English (4.4kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable Middle English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-12-23 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-12-02 using wiktextract (6fdc867 and 9905b1f). 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.