"couple" meaning in Middle English

See couple in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /ˈkupəl/, /ˈkuplə/, /ˈkuː-/
Etymology: Borrowed from Old French couple, from Latin cōpula. Etymology templates: {{bor+|enm|fro|couple}} Borrowed from Old French couple, {{der|enm|la|cōpula}} Latin cōpula Head templates: {{head|enm|nouns|g=|g2=|g3=|head=|sort=}} couple, {{enm-noun|couples|pl2=couple}} couple (plural couples or couple) Forms: couples [plural], couple [plural], copill [alternative], cople [alternative], copull [alternative], coupull [alternative], cowpulle [alternative], cupil [alternative], cuple [alternative], cupple [alternative]
  1. A group of two (especially living beings; never three or more as in modern English):
    A couple; two people joined in marriage.
    Sense id: en-couple-enm-noun-hxc1Wz6N Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Marriage Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 37 37 4 2 10 3 6 Disambiguation of Marriage: 67 14 0 11 8 0 0
  2. A group of two (especially living beings; never three or more as in modern English):
    A breeding pair; two animals to be bred with each other.
    Sense id: en-couple-enm-noun-LhQZki6v Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 37 37 4 2 10 3 6
  3. A lead or tie linked to two dogs to restrain them.
    Sense id: en-couple-enm-noun-DGKx20-a
  4. A unit of measure for (especially dried) fruits.
    Sense id: en-couple-enm-noun-DnppchWX Categories (other): Fruits Disambiguation of Fruits: 22 13 5 35 10 7 8
  5. (architecture) One of two opposing roof beams (or the two as a pair)
    Sense id: en-couple-enm-noun-Q-fnvq5I Categories (other): Architecture, Middle English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 37 37 4 2 10 3 6 Topics: architecture
  6. (rare) Sexual intercourse; the act of sex. Tags: rare
    Sense id: en-couple-enm-noun-mNbdFbEa Categories (other): Sex Disambiguation of Sex: 0 0 0 0 0 100 0
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: couplen, couplynge
Etymology number: 1

Verb

Head templates: {{head|enm|verb|altform=1}} couple
  1. Alternative form of couplen Tags: alt-of, alternative Alternative form of: couplen
    Sense id: en-couple-enm-verb-zO4pSZX4
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Etymology number: 2

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "couplen"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "couplynge"
    }
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "en",
            "2": "couple"
          },
          "expansion": "English: couple",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "English: couple"
    },
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "sco",
            "2": "couple",
            "3": "kipple"
          },
          "expansion": "Scots: couple, kipple",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "Scots: couple, kipple"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_number": 1,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "couple"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from Old French couple",
      "name": "bor+"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "cōpula"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin cōpula",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Borrowed from Old French couple, from Latin cōpula.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "couples",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "couple",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "copill",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cople",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "copull",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "coupull",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cowpulle",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cupil",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cuple",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cupple",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "nouns",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "head": "",
        "sort": ""
      },
      "expansion": "couple",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "couples",
        "pl2": "couple"
      },
      "expansion": "couple (plural couples or couple)",
      "name": "enm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "37 37 4 2 10 3 6",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "67 14 0 11 8 0 0",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Marriage",
          "orig": "enm:Marriage",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A group of two (especially living beings; never three or more as in modern English):",
        "A couple; two people joined in marriage."
      ],
      "id": "en-couple-enm-noun-hxc1Wz6N",
      "links": [
        [
          "group",
          "group"
        ],
        [
          "living",
          "living#English"
        ],
        [
          "being",
          "being#English"
        ],
        [
          "three",
          "three#English"
        ],
        [
          "couple",
          "couple#English"
        ],
        [
          "joined",
          "joined"
        ],
        [
          "marriage",
          "marriage"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "37 37 4 2 10 3 6",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A group of two (especially living beings; never three or more as in modern English):",
        "A breeding pair; two animals to be bred with each other."
      ],
      "id": "en-couple-enm-noun-LhQZki6v",
      "links": [
        [
          "group",
          "group"
        ],
        [
          "living",
          "living#English"
        ],
        [
          "being",
          "being#English"
        ],
        [
          "three",
          "three#English"
        ],
        [
          "breeding",
          "breeding"
        ],
        [
          "pair",
          "pair"
        ],
        [
          "animal",
          "animal"
        ],
        [
          "bred",
          "bred"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A lead or tie linked to two dogs to restrain them."
      ],
      "id": "en-couple-enm-noun-DGKx20-a",
      "links": [
        [
          "lead",
          "lead"
        ],
        [
          "tie",
          "tie"
        ],
        [
          "dog",
          "dog"
        ],
        [
          "restrain",
          "restrain"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "22 13 5 35 10 7 8",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Fruits",
          "orig": "enm:Fruits",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A unit of measure for (especially dried) fruits."
      ],
      "id": "en-couple-enm-noun-DnppchWX",
      "links": [
        [
          "unit of measure",
          "unit of measure"
        ],
        [
          "fruit",
          "fruit"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Architecture",
          "orig": "enm:Architecture",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "37 37 4 2 10 3 6",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "One of two opposing roof beams (or the two as a pair)"
      ],
      "id": "en-couple-enm-noun-Q-fnvq5I",
      "links": [
        [
          "architecture",
          "architecture"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(architecture) One of two opposing roof beams (or the two as a pair)"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "architecture"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "0 0 0 0 0 100 0",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Sex",
          "orig": "enm:Sex",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Sexual intercourse; the act of sex."
      ],
      "id": "en-couple-enm-noun-mNbdFbEa",
      "links": [
        [
          "Sexual intercourse",
          "sexual intercourse"
        ],
        [
          "sex",
          "sex"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(rare) Sexual intercourse; the act of sex."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "rare"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkupəl/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkuplə/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkuː-/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "couple"
}

{
  "etymology_number": 2,
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "verb",
        "altform": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "couple",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "word": "couplen"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative form of couplen"
      ],
      "id": "en-couple-enm-verb-zO4pSZX4",
      "links": [
        [
          "couplen",
          "couplen#Middle_English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "couple"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "Middle English alternative forms",
    "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
    "Middle English lemmas",
    "Middle English nouns",
    "Middle English terms borrowed from Old French",
    "Middle English terms derived from Latin",
    "Middle English terms derived from Old French",
    "Old French entries with incorrect language header",
    "Old French feminine nouns",
    "Old French lemmas",
    "Old French nouns",
    "Old French terms derived from Latin",
    "Old French terms derived from Vulgar Latin",
    "Pages with 4 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "enm:Fruits",
    "enm:Marriage",
    "enm:Sex"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "couplen"
    },
    {
      "word": "couplynge"
    }
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "en",
            "2": "couple"
          },
          "expansion": "English: couple",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "English: couple"
    },
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "sco",
            "2": "couple",
            "3": "kipple"
          },
          "expansion": "Scots: couple, kipple",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "Scots: couple, kipple"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_number": 1,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "couple"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from Old French couple",
      "name": "bor+"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "cōpula"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin cōpula",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Borrowed from Old French couple, from Latin cōpula.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "couples",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "couple",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "copill",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cople",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "copull",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "coupull",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cowpulle",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cupil",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cuple",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cupple",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "nouns",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "head": "",
        "sort": ""
      },
      "expansion": "couple",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "couples",
        "pl2": "couple"
      },
      "expansion": "couple (plural couples or couple)",
      "name": "enm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A group of two (especially living beings; never three or more as in modern English):",
        "A couple; two people joined in marriage."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "group",
          "group"
        ],
        [
          "living",
          "living#English"
        ],
        [
          "being",
          "being#English"
        ],
        [
          "three",
          "three#English"
        ],
        [
          "couple",
          "couple#English"
        ],
        [
          "joined",
          "joined"
        ],
        [
          "marriage",
          "marriage"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A group of two (especially living beings; never three or more as in modern English):",
        "A breeding pair; two animals to be bred with each other."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "group",
          "group"
        ],
        [
          "living",
          "living#English"
        ],
        [
          "being",
          "being#English"
        ],
        [
          "three",
          "three#English"
        ],
        [
          "breeding",
          "breeding"
        ],
        [
          "pair",
          "pair"
        ],
        [
          "animal",
          "animal"
        ],
        [
          "bred",
          "bred"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A lead or tie linked to two dogs to restrain them."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "lead",
          "lead"
        ],
        [
          "tie",
          "tie"
        ],
        [
          "dog",
          "dog"
        ],
        [
          "restrain",
          "restrain"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A unit of measure for (especially dried) fruits."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "unit of measure",
          "unit of measure"
        ],
        [
          "fruit",
          "fruit"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "enm:Architecture"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "One of two opposing roof beams (or the two as a pair)"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "architecture",
          "architecture"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(architecture) One of two opposing roof beams (or the two as a pair)"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "architecture"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Middle English terms with rare senses"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Sexual intercourse; the act of sex."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Sexual intercourse",
          "sexual intercourse"
        ],
        [
          "sex",
          "sex"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(rare) Sexual intercourse; the act of sex."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "rare"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkupəl/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkuplə/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkuː-/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "couple"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "Middle English alternative forms",
    "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
    "Old French entries with incorrect language header",
    "Old French feminine nouns",
    "Old French lemmas",
    "Old French nouns",
    "Old French terms derived from Latin",
    "Old French terms derived from Vulgar Latin",
    "Pages with 4 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "enm:Fruits",
    "enm:Marriage",
    "enm:Sex"
  ],
  "etymology_number": 2,
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "verb",
        "altform": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "couple",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "word": "couplen"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative form of couplen"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "couplen",
          "couplen#Middle_English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "couple"
}

Download raw JSONL data for couple 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 2025-06-18 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-06-01 using wiktextract (074e7de and f1c2b61). 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.