Caroigne

/kəˈroɪn/ noun

Definition

Archaic term for carrion or decaying flesh of a dead animal.

Etymology

From Old French caroigne, derived from Latin caro (meat) combined with a suffix suggesting something rotten or foul. The word passed into English through Norman French but fell out of common use by the 16th century.

Kelly Says

Medieval English writers used 'caroigne' as an insult—calling someone this name was basically calling them rotten meat, one of the worst possible medieval put-downs!

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