† Essee Obs.
Also 4 Essey, 7 Hessee, 4–6 pl. Esseis.
[ad. L. Essæ-i pl., Gr. Ἐσσαῖ-οι. (The pl. Esseis is app. formed on L. pl. Essæi taken as a sing.; Wyclif's Essey is prob. the L. plural misspelt. Cf. epicuree.]
= Essene.
| c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 2 Pharisees, Saduces, and Esseis. ― Sel. Wks. II. 36 Essey, Saducey, and Pharisey. a 1570 Becon Christ's Chron. (1844) 546, The Essees..not altogether unlike to monks in life. 1607 T. Rogers 39 Art. (1854) 353 Of another mind were the Esseis. 1613 Purchas Pilgr., (1617) 147 Essees, Essens, or Hessees. |