Etymograph

English

demesne

Demesne comes from Old French demeine.

  1. Old Frenchc. 842–1400demeine1
  2. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400demeyne1
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500demayne1
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1485demesne1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English demesne
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur Book XVI: “And whanne he sawe that he lete charce her…”.

Lineage

  1. Old Frenchc. 842–1400demeineWiktionary, English demesne
  2. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400demeyneWiktionary, English demesne
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500demayneWiktionary, English demesne
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1485demesneWiktionary, English demesne. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur Book XVI: “And whanne he sawe that he lete charce her…”

The story

The spelling with non-etymological s is partly due to influence from mesne and partly for the purpose of indicating a long vowel, as the s quiesced before a consonant; compare aisle, isle, Carlisle.

Full etymology on Wiktionary

Linked words

through Middle English demayne

domain

Today it means

noun A lord's chief manor place, with that part of the lands belonging thereto which has not been granted out in tenancy; a house, and the land adjoining, kept for the proprietor's own use.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “demesne”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Old French demeine / demesne

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