Meanings
plural minivers · alternative meniver · alternative menyvere
- countableuncountableA light gray or white fur used to trim the robes of judges or state executives, also used in medieval times.
1 more example
Thenne came forth a lykely knyghte and wel apparaylled in scarlet furred with myneuer / And anone as he sawe syr launcelot / he demed that he shold be oute of his wytte / And thenne he said with fayre speche good man leye doune that swerd / for as me semeth / thow haddest more nede of slepe and of warme clothes / than to welde that swerd / As for that said syr Launcelot come not to nyȝ for and thow doo wete thou wel I will slee the
1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “j”, in Le Morte Darthur, book XII
Origin
- Old Frenchmenu vair“squirrel, squirrel fur”
- Englishminiver
From Old French menu vair (“squirrel, squirrel fur”), from menu (“small”) + vair (“a type of fur”).
More words from Old French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian хермелин
- хермелин (hermelin)a light gray or white fur
Finnish kärpännahka
- kärpännahkaa light gray or white fur
French menu-vair
- menu-vaira light gray or white fur
German Feh
- Feha light gray or white fur
Russian мех горностая
- мех горностая (mex gornostaja)a light gray or white fur
Spanish armiño
- armiñoa light gray or white fur
Cite this entry
miniver. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/miniver
“miniver.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/miniver. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “miniver,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/miniver.
Source: miniver on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.