different between vair vs miniver

English

Etymology

From Middle English veir, veire, from Old French vair, veir, from the accusative singular masculine form of Latin varius (“variegated”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /v??/
• Rhymes: -??(?)

Noun

vair (countable and uncountable, plural vairs)

1. (archaic) A type of fur from a squirrel with a black back and white belly, much used on garments in the Middle Ages.
   • 1999, George RR Martin, A Clash of Kings, Bantam 2011, p. 323:

     Bran wore grey breeches and white doublet, his sleeves and collar trimmed with vair.

2. (heraldry) An heraldic fur formed by a regular tessellation of bell shapes in two colours, (for example in the image, blue and white).

Related terms

• countervair
• vairy
• varriated

Translations

See also

• ermine
• fur
• potent

Anagrams

• Ravi, Riva, Viar, riva, vari, vira

Dutch

Etymology

From Old French vair, veir, from the accusative singular masculine form of Latin varius (“variegated”).

Pronunciation

Noun

vair n (uncountable)

1. (heraldry) vair (fur used in heraldry)

French

Etymology

From Old French vair, veir, from the accusative singular masculine form of Latin varius.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /v??/
• Homophones: vaire, vaires, vairs, ver, vers, vert, verts, verre, verres
• Rhymes: -??

Noun

vair m (plural vairs)

1. (heraldry) vair

Further reading

• “vair” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• ravi, riva, vira, vrai

Gallo

Etymology

From Old French veeir, veoir, from Latin vide?, vid?re, cognate with French voir.

Verb

vair

1. To see

   Disez-mai don, v'ez-ti pas veü un jiene là tout à l'oure ?

   Please tell me, have you seen a young man there few minutes ago ?

Middle English

Noun

vair

1. Alternative form of veir

Old French

Etymology

From the accusative singular masculine form of Latin varius.

Adjective

vair m (oblique and nominative feminine singular vaire)

1. changeable; that may change
2. multi-colored; polychromatic
3. shining; brilliant

Declension

Noun

vair m (oblique plural vairs, nominative singular vairs, nominative plural vair)

1. vair (fur of a squirrel)

Descendants

• ? Middle English: veir
  • English: vair
• French: vair
• ? Irish: véir

Romansch

Alternative forms

• (Rumantsch Grischun) vesair
• (Sursilvan) veser
• (Sutsilvan) vaser
• (Surmiran) veir
• (Puter) vzair
• (Vallader) verer

Etymology

From Latin vide?, vid?re.

Verb

vair

1. (Puter) to look
2. (Puter) to see

English

Alternative forms

• meniver, menyvere

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?m?n?v?/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?m?n?v?/

Noun

miniver (countable and uncountable, plural minivers)

1. A light gray or white fur used to trim the robes of judges or state executives, also used in medieval times.

Translations

References

• miniver in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.