Fearnought

/ˈfɪrnɔːt/ noun

Definition

Alternative spelling of fearnaught; a thick woolen fabric used for sailors' clothing and protective garments.

Etymology

Variant spelling of 'fearnaught' with the same etymology—'fear' + 'naught' (nothing)—appearing in different historical texts depending on regional spelling conventions.

Kelly Says

The existence of spelling variants like 'fearnaught/fearnought' is a time capsule—before standardized spelling, different writers recorded the same word differently, which is why historical dictionaries sometimes look like they've been written by different authors.

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