Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

reredemain

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Syllables: rere-de-main
IPA

13

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

3

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A backward stroke of the hand.

Archaic

Example Sentences

"But all ſuch plagues, calamities and troubles (vvhich I feared and ſuſpected) might have chanced on me if I had taken the rule and regiment of the reale, I ſhall vvith a reredemaine ſo make them rebound to our common enemie that calleth himſelfe King, […]"
"And ſuch a blovv he lent him as he paſt, / Vpon his ſhoulders from the reredemaine, / That horſe and man vnto the ground vvere caſt, / VVhence neither of them roſe aliue againe: […]"
"[H]e that day / Did execution on the heathen foe, / Worthy of fame, for with one dexterous slash / He twains Carrillo, then a reredemain / Lops off an arm of Roco, Indian fierce and brave."

Etymology

From Middle English reremayne, reremayn, probably from Anglo-Norman reremein, variant of areremein, from arere (“back, backwards”) + main (“hand”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: reremayne, reremein

Usage

Archaic

Inflected Forms

reredemains (plural)

Questions

What does reredemain mean?: A backward stroke of the hand.
Where does reredemain come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce reredemain

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