amice
.
Searchable Lemmata: amice (AF), amit (AF), aumuce (AF), amictus (L), almucia (L), amis (W), amit (ME), amit (OScots), amit (MdE), amict (MdE), amice (MdE).
Alternate Forms: aumuce, aumusce, aumuz, amuce, amuse, almuce, amictum, amicta, amitus, almucium, almuz, amows, aimuce, amunce, hamuce, amice, amic, aumice, aumis, amet, aumet, amis, amice, amuce, amite, amitte, amiet, emit, amittes, amis, amisses, amices, amesses.
Definitions and Defining Citations:
1(n.)
Garment;
(unspecified) garment or robe.(ante 700 - ante 1300)
Sex: N/A Ceremonial: No
Body Parts:
2a(n.)
Headgear;
cap or hood (covering the head); wrap or cloak (worn over the head or the head and shoulders) or else a similar kerchief.(ante 1275 - ante 1450 ?)
Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: Head, Neck.
2b(n.)
Headgear;
ecclesiastical mitre.(ante 1300)
1. superpilicio vel superlicio : surplis (C) / phanula : phanoun (C) phanon (D) phanun (L) / alba : aube (C) / talari : a talouns (C) vesture geke au pé (D) / stola : estole (CDL) / thiara : mitre, amite (C) amite (D) / amictum : amite (C) amit (L) / infula : chesuble (CD) chessubal, chesubel (D) chesible (L) / cintorio : ceynture (C) sneture (D) zenture (Z) / pedum : sa cros (C) / podere : aube (D) / mitre : mitre (CL) / anulo : anel (C) / pedum : gallice crose (C) la croce (D) cros (D)
[AND TLL (2,138,19-24) ante 1300]
Sex: Male Use: Ecclesiastical Ceremonial: Yes
Body Parts: Head.
3(n.)
Garment;
ecclesiastical garment the shape and use of which developed over time: originally a linen square wrapped about the head, thus could act as various sorts of hood and was made of various materials and became a garment worn simply around the neck. In modern usage, a stole of white linen, worn in conjunction with the alb, worn around the neck and shoulders.(ante 1160 still in current use)
4. quesivit episcopus ... in quail habitu esset [apostata]; et responsum est quod in tunica de burneto et almucia sine culculla
[DMLBS THORNE (2057) circa 1330]
5. Item pur vj alnes toille pur un aube et ij amycis a Poulis, l’aune a viij d. et pur le faisure dez dictes aube et ij amycis - vj d. - iiij s. vj d.
Accounts.
[AND Mch Tayl Accs (3 Hen V)]
6. He dooȜ ouer aftyrwarde halowede vestimentes, of which firste es the amyte, for it heyleȜ or couereȜ the hede, and it be-tokennes feyth, that owe to be hadde by-for al thynges to couere the hede [or] vnderstandynge, to ouercome it that it leue not to mych on reson natural in these thynges that longen to feyth, bot veryly to leue of hool doctrine of the chirch.
[MED Spec.Chr.(1) (180,12-18)]
Sex: Male Use: Ecclesiastical Ceremonial: Yes
Body Parts: Back, Chest, Shoulder(s), Waist.
4(n.)
Decoration;
embroidery or decorative ornament (as on an amice). Also as a compound: amice-work.(1433 - 1450 ?)
1. Do et lego ... Katerinae ... Unam tuellam de twill cum nigris lystez ... duas tuellas cum planis egges ... Unam tuellam latam de amys werke ... Unam tuellam quatuor ulnarum longitudinis minus le nale.
Wills.
[MED Will York in Sur.Soc.30 (49) 1433]
Sex: N/A Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
Etymological Evidence:
Definite, From Old French amit, amist from (Classical) Latin amictus, amictum: see amictus; and from Old French aumuce, from Medieval Latin almucium. The Middle English form amict comes from Latin amictus, the ppl. of amicire, from am, amb (about) + iacere, iaciere (to throw).
The British Latin forms almucia, almucium are of uncertain etymology (Arabic?), probably influence by amictus. Mayo (1984), p. 132.
WF:
Etym Cog: amice, amictus, amit.
References:
