† molendinariousadj.
Origin: A borrowing from Latin, combined with an English element. Etymons: Latin molendinarius , -ous suffix.
Etymology: < post-classical Latin molendinarius relating to a mill (from 12th cent. in British sources; earlier as noun in sense ‘miller’, 5th cent.; < molendinum mill (Vetus Latina; < classical Latin molendus , gerundive of molere to grind (see meal n.1) + -īnum -ine suffix4) + -arius : see -arious suffix) + -ous suffix. Compare molendarious adj.The following post-classical Latin forms are attested in British sources: molendinum (frequently 1080–1580), molendinus (frequently c1030–15th or 16th cent.), molendina (late 13th and early 14th cent.) mill, molendinarium mill (1588), mill-site (1315), molendinarius miller (frequently 11th cent.–1573).
Obsolete.
rare. Apparently only attested in dictionaries or glossaries.
1656 T. Blount Molendinarious, of or pertaining to a Mill.
1728 N. Bailey Molendarious, belonging to a mill... Molendinarious, the same as before.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2002; most recently modified version published online June 2021).