English
quintain
Quintain comes from Anglo-Norman quintaine.
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400quintaine
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1598–1600quintain
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400quintaine
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1598–1600quintain
Earliest quotation: c. 1598–1600, William Shakespeare, As You Like It: “My better parts Are all thrown down; and that…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *pénkʷe ‘five’
five, punch, finger, pimp, fin, pentagon, cinque, quine, 23 more
through Proto-Indo-European *penkʷtós ‘fifth’
Today it means
noun An object (generally a post or plank on a support) set up as a target to be tilted at in jousting, or otherwise used as target practice.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Anglo-Norman quintaine / quintain