Etymology dictionary. 2014.
King's evil — King King, n. [AS. cyng, cyning; akin to OS. kuning, D. koning, OHG. kuning, G. k[ o]nig, Icel. konungr, Sw. konung, Dan. konge; formed with a patronymic ending, and fr. the root of E. kin; cf. Icel. konr a man of noble birth. [root]44. See {Kin} … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
king's evil — Evil E vil ([=e] v l) n. 1. Anything which impairs the happiness of a being or deprives a being of any good; anything which causes suffering of any kind to sentient beings; injury; mischief; harm; opposed to {good}. [1913 Webster] Evils which our … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
king's evil — n. [transl. of ML regius morbus: from the notion that a king s touch could cure it] Obs. SCROFULA … English World dictionary
king's evil — An old term for scrofula. Kings of England and France claimed to heal it by their touch a gift conferred by God through the oil used at their coronation. The first English ruler to touch for the evil was Edward the Confessor; several… … A Dictionary of English folklore
king's evil — historic term for cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis (scrofula) which was formerly thought to be curable by the touch of a king. * * * king s evil kiŋz ē vəl, vil n, often cap K&E SCROFULA … Medical dictionary
king's evil — noun (usu. the king s evil) historical scrofula, formerly held to be curable by the royal touch … English new terms dictionary
king's evil — noun scrofula Suppose the person the matter is taken from, has the kings evil, the pox, madness, or some other inveterate disease I am sure the inoculator can give no reason why it should not convey one distemper as well as the other … Wiktionary
king's evil — noun Usage: often capitalized K&E Etymology: from the former belief that it could be healed by a king s touch Date: 14th century scrofula … New Collegiate Dictionary
king's evil — scrofula: so called because it was supposed to be curable by the touch of the reigning sovereign. [1350 1400; ME kynges evel] * * * ▪ medical disorder scrofula (q.v.), or struma, a tuberculous swelling of the lymph glands, once popularly… … Universalium
king’s evil — scrofula (lymphgland tuberculosis) … Eponyms, nicknames, and geographical games
