Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A white or light gray fur used as a trim on medieval robes and on ceremonial robes of state.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A mixed or spotted fur once commonly used for lining or trimming garments.
- noun In heraldry, a fur like vair, with the peculiarity that the escutcheon-miniver contains six or more horizontal rows of spots.
- noun The Siberian squirrel, which has fine white fur; also, the fur itself.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A fur esteemed in the Middle Ages as a part of costume. It is uncertain whether it was the fur of one animal only or of different animals.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A light gray or white
fur used to trim therobes of judges or state executives, also used inmedieval times.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun trimming on ceremonial robes consisting of white or light grey fur
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word miniver.
Examples
-
The Royal Princesses and the Royal Knights of the Garter swept by in prodigious robes and trains of purple velvet, thirty shillings a yard, my dear, not of course including the lining, which, I have no doubt, was of the richest satin, or that costly "miniver" which we used to read about in poor Jerrold's writings.
Roundabout Papers William Makepeace Thackeray 1837
-
She had a short cape in her hands, white velvet banded with miniver.
The Dressmaker Posie Graeme-Evans 2010
-
Sinjáb is Persian for the skin of the grey squirrel (Mu. lemmus, the lemming), the meniver, erroneously miniver, (menu vair) as opposed to the ermine = (Mus Armenius, or mustela erminia.)
-
Vair, variegated fur, from the Latin varius, varied, also is a root of miniver, originally menu vair, small vair, which referred initially to the fur — perhaps squirrel — used as trim on medieval robes and later was applied to the prized ermine, or winter weasel fur, on the ceremonial robes of peers.
Were Cinderella’s glass slippers a mistranslation? « Musings from an overworked translator 2008
-
Garter swept by in prodigious robes and trains of purple velvet, thirty shillings a yard, my dear, not of course including the lining, which, I have no doubt, was of the richest satin, or that costly “miniver” which we used to read about in poor
Roundabout Papers 2006
-
He wore soft leather sock boots, turned down at the knees to reveal a lining of the finest miniver.
Claiming Of Sleeping Beauty Rice, Anne, 1941- 1996
-
Between Prince and wizard, Leynart said nothing, only clutched his precious spell-box to his chest and huddled deeper in this miniver cloak like a cold lapdog on a pillow.
The Silicon Mage Hambly, Barbara 1988
-
And to preside over them sat not their Prior, but Ferrante Gonzaga himself, in a gown of scarlet velvet edged with miniver.
The Strolling Saint; being the confessions of the high and mighty Agostino D'Anguissola, tyrant of Mondolfo and Lord of Carmina in the state of Piacenza Rafael Sabatini 1912
-
Her high-waisted gown, low-cut and close-fitting in the bodice, was of cloth of gold, edged with miniver at skirt and cuffs and neck.
The Historical Nights' Entertainment Second Series Rafael Sabatini 1912
-
So instead of the crepe de Chine and miniver, which had been used for the black dress, I had for the white dress Bolton sheeting and rabbit, and I believe it looked better.
The Story of My Life Terry, Ellen, Dame, 1847-1928 1908
delcj commented on the word miniver
as in A Proud Taste for Scarlet and _______ by E.L. Konigsburg
August 15, 2007