adulterer
(əˈdʌltərə(r))
Forms: 4–5 avou-, avow- -terer, -terere, -tereer, -trer, -trere, -treer; 4–7 avouterer; 5–7 advou-, advow- -terer, -trer, etc.; 6 advoterer, advoulterer, aduoulterer, adoulterer; 6– adulterer.
[f. avouter, adulter v. + -er1, term. of male agent. Cf. rare OFr. avoutrier and fem. avoltreresse. (For the gradual change of the word under L. influence from avouterer to adulterer, see adulter n. and v.) Already in Wyclif interchanged with the earlier avouter, and in the middle of 17th c. adulter-er (in its various forms), more distinctly expressing the agent, displaced adulter and its forms. Cf. cater-er, fripper-er, sorcer-er, and see -er1.]
1. One who commits adultery; who violates a marriage-bed, whether his own or another's.
| c 1370 Wyclif Agst. Begging Friers (1608) 53 If there be anie cursed Jurour, extortioner or avowtrer. 1382 ― Ps. xlix. 18 With avoutereres thi porcioun thou leidist. ― Deut. xxii. 22 Eyther shal die, that is the auowtreer and the auowtresse [1388 auowter and auowtresse]. c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. 805 (Petw. MS.) Þise aduoutrers breken þe temple of god spiritually [other MSS. avowtiers, auoutyeris, aduoutres]. c 1449 Pecock Repr. i. xviii. 103 Summe ben founde.. to be greet lecchouris, summe to be avoutreris. 1509 Barclay Ship of Fooles (1570) 65 Keping the dore while the auoutrer is within. 1513 Douglas æneis xi. vi. 106 The sle adultrare occupiis his stede. 1535 Coverdale Job xxiv. 15 The aduouterer, that wayteth for the darcknesse. 1541 Barnes Wks. 1573, 319/1 Certayne men doe affirme those men to bee aduoulterers. 1549 Prayer-Bk., Exhort. at Comm., If any here be a blasphemer, aduouterer [1552 adulterer], or bee in malyce or envie. c 1585 Pilkington Wks. 1841, 642 And called him proud, advoterer, a thief and heretic. 1611 Bible Heb. xiii. 5 Whoremongers and adulterers [Wycl. auoutreris (auouteris), Tind. advoutrars, Cranm. aduoutrers, Genev., Rhem. aduouterers] God will judge. 1629 Coke 1st Pt. of Instit. 72 b, If shee goeth willingly with or to the auowtrer. 1653 Baxter Chr. Conc. 70 Hereticks, Advouterers, Church-robbers. 1686 Dryden Hind. & P. iii. 1216 Reeking from the stews, adulterers come. 1708 Termes de la Ley 68 Avowterer is an Adulterer with whom a married woman continues in Adultery. 1879 Farrar St. Paul II. 306 (transl. Sueton.) This husband or adulterer of three queens [Felix]. |
b. Also of a woman = adulteress.
| c 1550 Cheke Matt. v. 32 Whosoever divorceth his wife, except it be for fornications cause, doth mak her an adulterer. 1557 N. T. (Genev.) Rom. vii. 3 She shal be called an adulterer. |
† 2. One who adulterates, corrupts, or debases; an adulterator. Obs. rare.
| 1650 Urquhart Rabelais (1807) III. 295 Usurers, apothecaries, cheats, coiners, and adulterers of wares. |