Alisaunder

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An older Middle English spelling of the personal name Alexander ; a medieval verse romance recounting the legendary exploits of Alexander the Great
2. A archaic variant spelling of the name Alexander ; an English romance poem from the Middle Ages telling the legendary story of Alexander the Great
3. The Middle English form of the given name Alexander ; a long medieval narrative poem that celebrates the adventures of Alexander the Great

Etymology: "Alisaunder" is a Middle English spelling of Alexander, the name of the Macedonian king Alexander the Great. Its best-known appearance is in "Kyng Alisaunder," a Middle English verse romance that retells the king's campaigns. Medieval English readers knew Alexander through a large body of legends that circulated across Europe, and the poem shows how the spelling was shaped by the way English speakers pronounced the name. The same spelling also names a plant, alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum), a coastal herb that was eaten as a vegetable in medieval gardens. How the plant came to bear the king's name is uncertain. The connection may be a later association with the famous conqueror rather than the original reason for the name.