norrice

Middle English

Noun

norrice

1. Alternative form of norice

Old French

Etymology

From Late Latin nūtrīcia, substantivization of the feminine of Latin nūtrīcius, an adjective based on nūtrīx (“nurse”).

Noun

norrice oblique singular, f (oblique plural norrices, nominative singular norrice, nominative plural norrices)

1. a wet nurse
   • c. 1250, Rutebeuf, Ci encoumence la complainte Rutebuef de son oeul:

     Or wet de l’argent ma norrice

     Now my wet nurse wants some money

Descendants

• French: nourrice
• Norman: nouôrriche
• → Middle English: norice, noris, norische, norrice, norse, norys, noryse, norysshe, nurishe, nurse
  • English: nurse (obsolete norice, nourice, nourse)
  • Scots: nourice, nuirice
• → Sicilian: nurrizza

References

• Walther von Wartburg (1928–2002) “nŭtrīcia”, in Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, volumes 7: N–Pas, page 248