Old French Dictionary (M-Q)
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This glossary (M-Q) can provide a valuable reference for French words in general use during the 15th century. It also includes words from other European languages as well, such as Latin and Greek, that heavily influenced the French language at the time. This dictionary may also explore the derivation of certain words or phrases in order to further clarify their meaning. The French language has undergone many changes over the last 500 years, mostly due to alterations in lifestyles, and improvements in technology. All this must be taken into account when attempting to translate Old French prophecies like those of Nostradamus.
Ma - (O.F. a.) my, mine (possessive)
Mabus - (O.F. n.) sudam (a mirror image)
Macelin
- (O.F. n.) one who is cruel or evil, a person of low birth
note: Latin - the Roman Emperor Macellinus (Macrinus) the Cruel
Main - (O.F. n.) hand, taking, pillage
Mais - (F. p.) but
Mal - (O.F. a.) grievous, painful
Malefique - (O.F. a.) malefic, harmful, dangerous
Malheureux - (O.F. a.) ill-timed
Maling - (O.F. n.) malice, evil
Malte - (O.F. n.f.) Malta
Manche - (O.F. n.) sleeve, arm, neck
Manne - (O.F. n.) manna, food
Mansol
- (O.F. n.) Great-One, Holy-One, Refined-One, Revered-One
note: from Latin "Manus Solus" or "Humanus Solus" - Man of the Sun
Marbre - (F. n.) marble
Marc - (O.F. n.) the German $ mark (currency)
Marinade - (O.F. n.) brine, mixture
Marine - (F. a.) marine, seaside
Marcher - (O.F. v.i.) to march
Maroq - (F. n.) Morocco
Mars
- (L. n.) war, rebellion, warlike attack
note: Latin "Mars" - god of war
Masculin - (O.F. a.) masculine
Masques - (O.F. n. plur.) artists, entertainers, performers, actors
Mastin
- (O.F. n.) master, guardian, watcher, keeper, monk
note: ancient French "mastins" - guardians of the flock
Matiere - (O.F. n.) subject matter, legal discourse
Mature - (O.F. n.) serious thought, circumspection
Melifique - (F. a.) mellifluous
Mene - (O.F. a.) taken
Menees - (O.F. n. plur.) exploits, conspiracies, acts
Mer - (O.F. n.f.) ocean, sea
Mere - (O.F. n.) mother
Meslee - (O.F. n.) mix, tangle, melee, fray
Mesme
- (O.F. a.) same, similar
source: Randall Cotgrave's 1611 Old French Dictionary
Mettant - (O.F. p.) putting, placing
Meurtre - (O.F. v.t.) murder, execute
Midi - (O.F. a.) midday, southern
Mil/Mille - (O.F. a.) thousand
Milieu - (O.F. a.) middle
Mine - (O.F. a.) shown, proven, demonstrated, used up
Mis - (O.F. p.) put, layed, placed, thrust, etc.
Mitre - (O.F. n.) a bishop's mitre, or the paper mitre of shame
Mois - (F. n.m.) month
Moine - (O.F. n.) monk
Moins - (O.F. a.) less, lest
Monarchie - (O.F. n.) monarchy
Monarque - (O.F. n.) monarch, monarchy
Monde - (O.F. n.) world
Monstre - (O.F. a.) monstrous, incredible, monster, deformity
Mont - (F. n.) hill, mount
Montaigne - (O.F. n.) mountain
Monument - (O.F. n.) monument
Mors/Mort - (O.F. n.f.) death, die
Mourir - (O.F. v.i.) to die
Mourant/Mourrez - (O.F. a.) dying, face (of death)
Moyennant - (O.F. n.) means, method
Multe - (O.F. a.) multiple, many
Murs/Mures - (F. n. plur.) walls, ramparts
Nager - (O.F. p.) swimming in, bathing in, drowning in
Naissance - (O.F. n.) birth
Naistra
- (O.F. v.i. fut.) will be born
source: Randall Cotgrave's 1611 Old French Dictionary
Nanar - (O.F. p.) in no way, by no means, etc..
Nativite - (O.F. n.) birth, nativity
Naturel - (F. a.) natural
Navale - (O.F. a.) naval
Nay/Ne' - (F. n.) birth, descent
Ne - (O.F. p.) never, not, not to be, etc..
Negera - (O.F. v.i. fut.) will be avoided
Neige - (O.F. n.f.) snow
Neptune - (O.F. n.) Neptune, King of the Sea
Neuf - (F. a.) nine
Neuf - (F. a.m.) new
Neufve - (F. a.f.) newNoir - (F. a.) black, dark, evil
Nom - (O.F. n.)a name, a number, numerous, famous
Nombre - (O.F. n.) number
Non - (O.F. p.) not
Nonante
- (L. a.) ninety
note: from the Latin "nonaginta" - ninety
Nostre/Nostra - (O.F. p.) our
Nous - (O.F. a.) we
Nouveau - (F. a.m.) new
Nouvelle - (O.F. a.f.) new, fresh, recent
Nue - (O.F. a.) nude, exposed, unprotected
Nuict - (O.F. n.) night, nighttime
Nuls - (O.F. p.) none, not any
Observera - (F. v.i. fut.) will observe, will listen, will heed
Obturee - (O.F. n.) obstacle
Occident - (O.F. a.) West, Western
Occis
- (L. a.) slain, killed
note: from Latin "occisio" - killing
Occuper - (F. v.i.) occupy
Ocean - (O.F. n.) ocean, sea
Octante - (O.F. a.) eighty, fourscore
Octobre - (O.F. n.) October
Oeil - (O.F. n.m.) eye, hole
Oignion - (O.F. n.) an onion, someone with a brash personality, a young upstart
Omnesq - (O.F. a.) omniscient, all-seeing
On - (O.F. p.) one
Onc/Oncq/Oncques
- (O.F. p.) never
source: Randall Cotgrave's 1611 Old French Dictionary
Onde - (O.F. n.) ocean, water
Ont - (O.F. a.) them, their
Opprobre - (O.F. n.) shame
Or - (O.F. n.) gold
Orient - (O.F. n.) Orient, East or Middle East
Ornament - (O.F. n.) ornament
Os - (O.F. n.) bone
Outrage - (O.F. n.) outrage
Outre - (F. p.) outside, further, beyond
Ouvert - (O.F. a.) open
Ouvree - (O.F. v.t.) overcome
Ouvrir - (O.F. v.t.) to open
Pacifique - (F. a.) peaceful, at peace
Paix/Pax - (O.F. n.) peace
Palais - (O.F. n.) palace
Palestine - (O.F. n.) Palestine
Pampon - (GR. a.) doubtful
Par - (F. p.) by, for, through, on, due to, because of, etc..
Parler - (O.F. n.) speech
Parque - (O.F. a.) folded, shut up, hemmed in, enclosed, surrounded
Part - (O.F. n.) part
Parviendra - (O.F. v.t. fut.) will attain, will be attained, will be seen to
Pasle - (O.F. a.) pale
Passe - (O.F. a.) past, surpassed, ended
Passer - (O.F. v.i.) to pass, traverse, pass through
Pasteur - (O.F. n.) shepherd, Louis Pasteur
PAU - (O.F. n.) Pau, Henry IV of Navarre
Pauvres - (O.F. a.) poor, poverty stricken
Pavillon - (O.F. n.) pavillion, royal house, royal colors or crest
Pax Ney Loron - (O.F. n.) peace not bound, (anagram of "Napolyon Rex")
Peines - (O.F. n.f. plur.) pains
Pellix - (L. n.) a seductress, prostitute
Pempotam
- (O.F. a.) all powerful
note: actually "panpoten" - all-powerful
Pence - (L. a.) waiting, impending
Pendu - (O.F. a.) hanging, suspended
Perces - (O.F. p.) pierced
Perdu - (O.F. a.) lost from view, unseen, overlooked
Perille - (O.F. n.) peril, danger
Perplex - (O.F. n.) perplexity, trouble, problem, difficult situation
Perse - (O.F. n.) Persia, Iran
Perte - (O.F. n.) loss, ruin
Pescheur - (O.F. n.) tribulation
Peste/Pestifere - (O.F. n.) torment, calamity, pestilence, terrible conditions
Petit - (O.F. a.) little, small, tiny
Peu - (O.F. a.) little, a few
Peult - (O.F. a.) well, easily, acceptably
Peur - (O.F. n.) fear, dread, fright
Peyne - (O.F. n.) pain, punishment
Phebes - (O.F. n.) the Moon
Pieds - (O.F. n. plur.) feet
Pire - (O.F. a.) worse
Place - (O.F. n.) a place
Plaisant - (O.F. p.) pleased
Pleurs - (O.F. n. plur.) tears
Plonger - (O.F. v.t.) dive into, plunge into
Pluie/Pluye - (O.F. n.f.) rain, rainstorm, tempest
Plus - (O.F. a.) more, greater, farther
Pluspart - (F. n.) greater part
Plusier - (O.F. a.) several, many, multiple, more
Poignard - (O.F. n.) a pointed dagger, knife, blade, etc..
Poinct - (F. n.) point of time, dawn, break of day, beginning
Point - (O.F. n.) a point, or concept
Poison - (O.F. n.) poison
Poisson - (O.F. n.) fish, aquatic vehicle, submarine
Polle - (O.F. n.) pole
Pollitique - (O.F. n.) politics, government
Pont - (O.F. n.) bridge
Pont/Pontife - (O.F. n.) pontiff, pope
Portera - (O.F. v.t. fut.) will transport, will be transported
Portes - (O.F. n.m. plur.) ports, harbors
Pose - (O.F. v.t.) put, place down, seat, settle, position oneself
Poudre - (O.F. n.) powder, dust
Pour - (O.F. p.) for
Predecesseurs - (O.F. n. plur.) predecessors
Premier - (O.F. a.) first
Prendra - (F. v.t. fut.) will take, will capture
Pres - (O.F. a.) near
Prestres - (O.F. n. plur.) priests
Presque - (O.F. a.) almost, nearly, closely
Primat - (O.F. n.m.) pope, primate, mankind
Prince - (O.F. n.) prince
Prins/Prinz/Prinse
- (O.F. a.) taken, seized, captured, held, removed, isolated
note: from Old French "prins, prinse, prise" - taken, seized
source: Randall Cotgrave's 1611 Old French Dictionary
Prochain - (O.F. a.) nigh, held close
Proche - (O.F. a.) near, nearby
Procree - (O.F. n.) offspring, progeny
Procul
- (O.F. n.) counselor, adviser
note: from Old French "procul, proculteur" - counselor
source: Randall Cotgrave's 1611 Old French Dictionary
Proditeurs - (O.F. n. plur.) traitors
Profanum - (O.F. a.) profane
Profond - (O.F. a.) vast, deepest, most profound, most remote
Prodigieux - (O.F. a.) surprising, overwhelming
Promis - (O.F. a.) promised
Promontoire - (O.F. n.) a promontory, peninsula
Prophetie - (O.F. n.) prophecy, prediction
Propin - (O.F. a.) proper, suitable, appropriate, safer
Prospere - (O.F. n.) favor, prosperity
Prostera - (O.F. v.t. fut.) will prostrate, will lower oneself, will bow
Prouve - (O.F. n.) proof, support
Puis
- (F. a.) then, (O.F.) this is when
note: "then" - a contraction of "this is when"
Punis - (O.F. p.) punished
Pyrates - (O.F. n. plur.) pirates
Pyre - (O.F. n.) piracy, pillaging
Qu'a - (O.F. p.) that also, that which, which also, etc..
Quand - (O.F. a.) when
Quatorze - (O.F. a.) fourteen
Que/Quels/Qui/Quis/Quos - (F. a.) this, those, that, who, whom, what, which, whoever, etc..
Qu'estoit - (O.F. v.i.) (who was) fated or destined to be
Quinz - (O.F. a.) fifteen
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The above glossary (M-Q) lists specific references to many Old French words that were in general use during the 15th century in France. Its references may also be found in modern French dictionaries such as Cassell's French Dictionary (hardcover edition) and other older texts. The Old French word definitions may often be found under the classical "class." or figurative "fig." definitions. If you can't find the appropriate definition in the French section of the dictionary, try doing a reverse look-up in the English section of the same dictionary. The 15th century Old French language made heavy use of both Latin and Greek words. These Latin and Greek word definitions can be verified by researching the appropriate Latin or Greek dictionaries. These definitions can also sometimes be found in old Bible manuscripts. The Bible writer Paul of Tarsus wrote in the Greek language. Some word definitions have survived almost completely intact into modern times, and can be located by simply typing them into an Internet search engine. If you would like to learn more about the writings of the classical prophets, and how their prophecies may have related to events of the future, please click on the link below and order your copy of Edward Oliver's amazing 350-page book, "Prophets and Frauds."
Click here to order your copy of Edward Oliver's book, "Prophets and Frauds".