Searchable Lemmata: sericum (L), sericus (L), serig (W), siric (Ir), sirig (?W), seric (MdE).
Alternate Forms: serica, serici, serico.
1a(n.)
Raw Material;
silk fibre; also as an adjective meaning Chinese.(circa 700 - circa 1000)
1. Sericum dictum quia id Seres primi miserunt; vermiculi enim ibi nasci perhibentur, a quibus haec circum arbores fila ducuntur; vermes autem ipsi Graece BOMBUKES nominantur. Placium est stuppa et quasi crassedo serici, et est Graecum nomen.
[DOE ISID. Etym. (19,27,5)]
Sex: N/A Use: n/a Status: n/a Rank: n/a Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
1b(n.)
Textile;
silk cloth; or, in general, stuff from the tribe of Seres, seric objects. In the plural, often refers to garments or cloths made of silk ('silks'). Also, as an adj., made of silk, cf. Seres. In MdE, 'seric' is attested as an adj. meaning silken, made of silk, from at least the mid-17th century.(circa 800 still in current use)
5. et in serico et in pannis libido dominatur nec regum purpuram temnit nec mendicantium spernit squalorem id est sordem : & on seolce & on cildclaþum galnys wealt na cyninga purpuran forhogað ne wædligendra forhogað fylþe.
[DOE LibSc (0813 (21.20))]
6. Purpuram et sericum, pretiosas gemmas et aurum, uarias uestes et pigmenta, uinum et oleum, ebur et auricalcum, s et stagnum, sulfur et uitrum et his similia. : Pællas & sidan, deorwyrþe gymmas & gold, selcuþe reaf & wyrtgemangc, win & ele, ylpes ban & mæstlingc, ær & tin, swefel & glæs, & þylces fela.
[DOE ÆColl (0108 (159))]
7. Serica a serico dicta, vel quod eam Seres primi misurunt. Holoserica tota serica; OLON enim totum. Tramoserica stamine lineo, trama ex serico. Holo(por)phyra tota ex purpura; OLON enim totum.
[DOE ISID. Etym. (19,22,14)]
9. pro dealbatione iij loricarum et iij parium de coopertur' ...
pro serico empto ad operationes domine Margerie filie regis ...
Accounts.
[DMLBS KR (Ac 351/28 m. 3) 1287]
10. Et ad faciendum unum lectum de Taffata bluet’ pro Rege poudr’ cum garteriis continentibus istud dictatem [sic, dictamen] Hony soit qui mal y pense.
----- clvj. ulne curt’ deTaffata
----- ij. pec’ de Carde
----- iij. pec’ sindon’ de Triple
----- ij. lb dj auri Cipre
----- iij. lb dj. serici sericum
----- xvj. lb cordarum & rubant fili
Accounts.
[LexP NA [PRO] E 101/391/15 (m. 8) 1347]
Sex: N/A Use: n/a Status: n/a Rank: n/a Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
Definite, From the name Seres and Classical L sericus. Originally meaning 'goods from the east, China', but applied especially to silks. Though the word was borrowed from Latin into the Celtic languages, it seems not to have passed to Norman or French, where terms derived from Latin saeta, seta were adopted (see entry at say 2). Use of words beginning seri- in contemporary French is a development of the modern period (cf. English words such as sericulture).
WF: Borrowed into the British Isles
Etym Cog:
References:
