Emyndful

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Paying close attention to something and keeping it carefully in mind
2. Being heedful and watchful, with the thoughts kept fixed on a matter
3. Characterized by careful regard for something and a readiness to remember it

Etymology: "Emyndful" is an older spelling of "mindful," and its roots run deep in English. The Old English noun "gemynd" meant memory or remembrance, and it combined a prefix "ge-" with a root shared by "mind" and "mention." Old English also had the adjective "gemyndig," meaning "remembering" or "conscious of," which is the ancestor of the modern sense of paying attention. In Middle English the prefix often wore down to "y-" or "e-," which likely explains the spelling "emyndful," with the suffix "-ful" adding the sense of "full of." The exact dating of this spelling variant is uncertain, so treat its specific attestations as something to check in the Middle English Dictionary.