† ˈbocstaff, -stave Obs.
[OE. bócstæf corresp. to OS. bôcstaƀ (MDu. boekstaf), OHG. buohstab (MHG. buochstap, mod.G. buchstabe), ON. bókstafr (Sw. bokstaf, Da. bogstav). Cf. Goth. *bôkastafs, ‘letter (of the alphabet)’, f. bôk writing-tablet, book + staf- staff, letter; according to some, orig. ‘beech-staff’, but see book. This interesting old word, still in full use in continental languages, survived in English only to the 13th c., when it was superseded by letter. Its modern form would have been bookstaff or buckstaff, as a connexion with book was or was not explicitly retained.]
A letter (of the alphabet).
| a 1000 Elene 91 (Gr.) Se blaca beam bocstafum awriten. c 1200 Ormin 4305 Writenn o Grickisshe boc Rihht wiþþ bocstafess sexe. c 1205 Lay. 7637 Feole cunne boc-stauen æ ðere hilte wes igrauen [not in later text]. |