wanspēdigness

wanspēdigness, f.n: indigence, poverty. (WAHN-SPAY-dee-ness / ˈwan-ˌspeː-dɪj-nɛs)

beggar
Avis aus roys. France (probably Paris), 1347-1350. Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.456, fol. 89r. [ica.themorgan.org]

4 thoughts on “wanspēdigness

  1. ‘Wan’ is (still) in modern Dutch a word that means something ‘bad’. ‘Wansmaak’ is ‘bad taste’ or ‘wantij’ is ‘bad tide’ (tides influenced by tidal streams). ‘Spedig’ is related to the modern Dutch word ‘spoedig’, which means ‘soon’, but the meaning changed from something like ‘good fortune’: ‘voorspoed’ is ‘properity’.

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