meiny

American  

[mey-nee] / ˈmeɪ ni /

Or meinie

noun

meinies plural

1. Archaic. a group or suite of attendants, followers, dependents, etc.

2. Scot. Archaic. a multitude; crowd.

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meiny British  

/ ˈmeɪnɪ /

noun

1. a retinue or household

2. a crowd

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• meinies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of meiny

1250–1300; Middle English meynee household < Old French meyne, mesnie, mesnede < Vulgar Latin *mānsiōnāta. See mansion, -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Whate'er on Etzel's meiny had late been wrought by him, A puff was to the tempest that now to rise began; So furiously did battle the son of Aldrian.

From The Nibelungenlied Revised Edition by Unknown

Then Kriemhild spied the margravine standing with her meiny.

From The Nibelungenlied by Shumway, Daniel Bussier

His store and beasts began to multiply, and Lot with his meiny was also there.

From Bible Stories and Religious Classics by Wells, Philip P.

Then thither with his meiny came Dancrat's haughty son, And thither too grim Hagan; it had been better left undone.

From Song and Legend from the Middle Ages by MacClintock, Porter Lander

When Kent says that Cornwall and Regan— "Summon'd up their meiny, straight took horse."

From The Romance of Words (4th ed.) by Weekley, Ernest