tappestere

Middle English

FWOTD – 25 February 2023

Alternative forms

• tapestere, tapister, tappester, tappster, tapstare, tapster, tapstere

Etymology

Inherited from Old English tæppestre; equivalent to tappe (“plug”) +‎ -estere.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtap(ə)stər(ə)/, /ˈtap(ə)strə/

Noun

tappestere (plural tappesteres)

1. A tavernkeeper or tapster; a person (originally a woman) who sells ale.

   Coordinate term: taverner

   • 1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “Here Bygynneth the Book of the Tales of Caunt́burẏ”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 5, recto, lines 239-241:

     Ther to he stroong was / as a Champioun / He knew the tauernes wel in euery town / And euery hoſtiler / and Tappeſtere […]

     He also was as strong as a champion; / he knew the bars well in every town, / and every innkeeper and tavernkeeper […]

Descendants

• English: tapster
  • ⇒ English: tapstress

References

• “tappester(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.