attainture

A1T1T1A1I1N1T1U1R1E1

noun

A state of being found guilty of an offence.

Scrabble 10

Meanings

nounattainture (plural attaintures)

plural attaintures

  1. obsoleteA state of being found guilty of an offence.

    […] thus, I fear, at last Hume’s knavery will be the duchess’ wreck, And her attainture will be Humphrey’s fall:

    1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]
    1 more example

    1637, Philemon Holland (translator), Britain, or A Chorographicall Description […] by William Camden, London: George Latham, “The O-Neales, and their rebellions in our time,” p. 122, The title and place of Earle of Tir-Oen was presently granted: but as touching the inheritance, considering that upon the forfaiture and attainture of Shan O-Neale the Kings of England were invested therein, the matter was referred unto Queene Elizabeth:

    Synonyms: attainder, attaintment, condemnation, attainder, attaintment, blame, censure, condemnation

  2. obsoleteImputation of dishonour.

    […] you may come, And take more strickt directions from his highnesse, Then he thinkes fit his letters should containe, Without the least attainture of your valure;

    1608, George Chapman, The Conspiracy and Tragedy of Charles, Duke of Byron, London: Thomas Thorppe, act III, scene 1
    1 more example

    […] they must dig up the good name of these prime worthies […] and brand them as the Papists did thir bodies; and those thir pure unblamable spirits, which live not only in heaven, but in thir writings, they must attaint with new attaintures which no Protestant ever before aspers’t them with.

    1644, John Milton, “To the Parliament”, in The Judgement of Martin Bucer […] now Englisht, London

    Synonyms: attainder, disgrace

  3. obsoleteUnhealthy bodily condition.

    […] if the infirmitie b[e] old and dangerous, or if there b[e] any attainture in the Lungs or L[i]uer […]

    1630, Gervase Markham, “Another Receipt for any extraordinary Cold, dry Cough, or pursicknesse in a Horse […] ”, in Markhams Faithfull Farrier, London: Michael Sparke, page 68
    1 more example

    But because there is but one Truth, and one perfection, I will, under the description of the perfect Horse, that is untainted, shew all the imperfections and attaintures, that either nature or mischance can put upon the Horse of greatest deformity.

    1676, John Halfpenny, “General Observations, Helps and advertisements, for any man when he goeth about to buy an Horse”, in The Gentlemans Jockey, London: Hen. Twyford and Nath. Brook, page 34

    Synonyms: disease

Synonyms & antonyms

nounImputation of dishonour.

nounUnhealthy bodily condition.

Similar

Origin

  1. Latinattingō
  2. Vulgar Latin*attinctus
  3. Medieval Latinattinctūra
  4. Englishattainture

From Medieval Latin attinctūra, used to translate Old French ateint, from Vulgar Latin *attinctus (perfect passive participle of Latin attingō).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

attainture. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/attainture

MLA

“attainture.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/attainture. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “attainture,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/attainture.

Source: attainture on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.