fidenisa

Old Spanish

Alternative forms

• fitonissa

Etymology

An alteration of Late Latin pȳthōnissa, feminine form of Latin pȳthon (“oracle, soothsayer”), from Ancient Greek Πῡθώ (Pūthṓ, “Pytho; Delphi”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hideˈniza/

Noun

fidenisa f (plural fidenisas)

1. soothsayer, sorceress
   • c. 1200, Almerich, Fazienda de Ultramar, f. 32v:

     & fue demãdar cõſeio auna mugier ſortera q̃ era en edom aqui uino el reẏ ſaul de mandar ɔſeio ala fideniſa ſta mugier ouo mẏedo al reẏ e dixo q̃ nõ faria. Jvro ſaul e dixo biuo es el criador q̃ non uerna nĩgun mal atẏ por eſta coſa.

     Here king Saul came to seek counsel from the soothsayer And [so] he went to seek counsel from a soothsayer that lived in Edom. […] [But] this woman was afraid of the king, and she said she would not do [as he asked]. Saul swore and said, “Living is the Creator, that no harm shall come to you for this thing.”

Synonyms

• sortera m