open-ers

Middle English

Alternative forms

openers, hopynhars, opyn-herse

Etymology

From Old English openærs; equivalent to open +‎ ers.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈɔːpənɛrs/, /ˈɔːpənars/

Noun

open-ers (plural open-erses) (rare)

The fruit of the common medlar (Crataegus germanica, syn. Mespilus germanica)
- c. 1390, Geoffrey Chaucer, ‘Reeve's Prologue’, Canterbury Tales (Ellesmere manuscript):
  But if I fare as dooth an Openers / That ilke fruyt is euer leng the wers / Til it be roten in Mullok or in stree [...].

Descendants

English: open-arse

References

“ō̆pen-ars, n.” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-05-19.

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