hircine en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈhɝsaɪn/ (US)
- /ˈhɝsɪn/ (US)
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈhɜːsaɪn/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
First attested in its present form in 1650–1660: From Middle English hircyne, from Latin hircīnus (“of a goat”, “goat-scented”); equivalent to hircus (“a male goat”) + -īnus (“-ine”). Cognate with French hircin. By surface analysis, hirc- (“buck, male goat”) + -ine. Compare caprine, haedine.
Meanings
-
(not-comparable, qualifier:book word) Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of goats.
People always smiled a little when they looked at Skøieren, and it was surely true that this dog had a most whimsical appearance, practically lost as he was in the depths of his hircine coat of fur.
1992, Helge Ingstad, Land of Feast and Famine, page 291:Linnæus formed seven classes of odours of medicines; namely, the aromatic, fragrant, ambrosiac, alliaceous, hircine, fetid, and nauseous.
1820, J. J. Virsey, The Natural History of Medicines, Aliments and Poisons, taken from the Kingdoms of Nature: The London Medical and Physical Journal, volume 44, page 247:1838, Hypericaceæ, entry in The Penny Cyclopaedia, Volume 12, page 411, Many are objects of ornament, but they are little cultivated because they have frequently a disagreeable hircine odour.
They are monſtrouſly fat, and have a moſt hircine ſmell.
1781, Thomas Pennant, History of Quadrupeds, volume 2, page 528:
- Possessed of an odour reminiscent of goats.
- Libidinous; lustful.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| hirquine | alternative, rare | lexicographic | |
| more hircine | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most hircine | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Synonyms
caprine (pertaining to goats) · goatish (pertaining to goats) · lascivious (excessively desirous) · hircose (goat-scented) · goaty (goat-scented) · hircose (pertaining to goats) · libidinous (excessively desirous) · lusty (excessively desirous) · goaten (pertaining to goats) · goaty (pertaining to goats) · hircinous (goat-scented) · hircic (pertaining to goats) · lustful (excessively desirous)
Translations (14)
uk кози́ний (of, pertaining to, or characteristic of goats) · ar مَعْزِيّ (of, pertaining to, or characteristic of goats) · de Ziegen- (of, pertaining to, or characteristic of goats) · be казі́ны (of, pertaining to, or characteristic of goats) · pl kozi (of, pertaining to, or characteristic of goats) · bg ко́зи (of, pertaining to, or characteristic of goats) · pt hircino (of, pertaining to, or characteristic of goats) · sk kozí (of, pertaining to, or characteristic of goats) · cs kozí (of, pertaining to, or characteristic of goats) · uk ко́зячий (of, pertaining to, or characteristic of goats) · es caprario (of, pertaining to, or characteristic of goats) · ar مَعَزِيّ (of, pertaining to, or characteristic of goats) · fr hircin (of, pertaining to, or characteristic of goats) · ru ко́зий (of, pertaining to, or characteristic of goats)