rancour

English

Etymology

First attested as Middle English rancour in the early 13th century, from Old French rancor, from Latin rancor (“rancidity, grudge, rancor”), from *ranceō (“be rotten or putrid, stink”), from which also English rancid.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Noun

rancour (countable and uncountable, plural rancours)

1. British, Canada, and Australia spelling of rancor
   • 1921, Ben Travers, chapter 4, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC:

     By some paradoxical evolution rancour and intolerance have been established in the vanguard of primitive Christianity. Mrs. Spoker, in common with many of the stricter disciples of righteousness, was as inclement in demeanour as she was cadaverous in aspect.

Middle English

Alternative forms

• rankor, rauncour, rancor, rankowre, rancur, rankour

Etymology

From Old French rancor, from Latin rancor.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ranˈkuːr/, /ˈrankur/
• (Late Middle English) IPA^(key): /ˈrankər/

Noun

rancour

1. Jealousy, ire, towards someone; rancour (also as a metaphorical figure)
2. (rare) Rancidity; something which smells vile.
3. (rare) A belief that one is engaging in wrongdoing.

Descendants

• English: rancour, rancor
• Scots: rancour

References

• “rancǒur, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-11-30.

Old French

Noun

rancour oblique singular, f (oblique plural rancours, nominative singular rancour, nominative plural rancours)

1. Late Anglo-Norman spelling of rancur

   il se douterent qe nous eussiens conceu vers eux rancour & indignacion