beggere

Middle English

Alternative forms

• beggar, beggare, beggarr, begger

Etymology

Either borrowed from Old French begart (from Middle Dutch beggaert) or formed anew from beggen +‎ -er.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛɡər(ə)/

Noun

beggere (plural beggeres)

1. A beggar (one who begs for alms)
2. A poor person; one living in poverty.
3. A mendicant; a friar reliant on alms.
4. A villain; a despicable person.
5. (rare) A petitioner; a supplicator.

Descendants

• English: beggar
• Scots: beggar

References

• “begger(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.