miniver

English

WOTD – 24 October 2011

from Old French menu vair (“squirrel, squirrel fur”), from menu (“small”) + vair (“a type of fur”).^[1]

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈmɪnɪvə/
- Audio (Southern England): (file)
(US) IPA^(key): /ˈmɪnɪvɚ/

miniver (countable and uncountable, plural minivers)

A light gray or white fur used to trim the robes of judges or state executives, also used in medieval times.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “j”, in Le Morte Darthur, book XII:
  Thenne came forth a lykely knyghte and wel apparaylled in scarlet furred with myneuer / And anone as he sawe syr launcelot / he demed that he shold be oute of his wytte / And thenne he said with fayre speche good man leye doune that swerd / for as me semeth / thow haddest more nede of slepe and of warme clothes / than to welde that swerd / As for that said syr Launcelot come not to nyȝ for and thow doo wete thou wel I will slee the
  (please add an English translation of this quotation)

a light gray or white fur

^ Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l’ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IX^e au XV^e siècle (1881) (menu, volume 5, page 245, column 3)