English

Marprelate

From mar + prelate.

Formed from mar + prelate

Proto-Indo-European *mers- ‘to annoy, disturb, neglect, forget, ignore’

Proto-Germanic *marzijaną ‘to disturb, hinder’

Old English mierran ‘to mar, disturb, confuse’

Middle English merren ‘to disturb, hinder, or prevent’

English mar

Medieval Latin praelatus

Old French prelat

Today it means

name A pseudonym used in the later 16th century by a satirist, or group of satirists, who attacked the Anglican episcopacy.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Marprelate