atter
Epithelium produced on the tongueEpithelium produced on the tongue.
Meaning
4 senses(UK, dialectal)Epithelium produced on the tongue.
(UK, dialectal)A scab; a dry sore.
(UK, archaic, dialectal)Poisonous bodily fluid, especially venom of a venomous animal, such as a snake, dragon or other reptile; corrupt or morbid matter from the body, such as pus from a sore or wound; bitter substance, such as bile.
Eiter
(archaic, figuratively)Moral corruption or corruptness; noxious or corrupt influence, poison to the soul, evil, anger, envy, hatred; destruction, death.
Translations
2 languagesOrigin
From Middle English atter, ater, from Old English āttor, ǣttor, ātor (“poison”), from ProtFrom Middle English atter, ater, from Old English āttor, ǣttor, ātor (“poison”), from Proto-West Germanic *aitr, from Proto-Germanic *aitrą (“gland, matter”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eyd-, *h₂oyd- (“tumor, abscess”), related to Ancient Greek οἶδος (oîdos, “swelling, tumour, abscess, produced by internal action”).
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