Quoynte

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Archaic term meaning clever and skilled in craft ; strange, odd or unfamiliar in appearance ; dainty, neat and elegantly made
2. An old spelling for cunning or ingenious ability ; describing something unusual or out of the ordinary ; referring to delicate, refined elegance
3. Obsolete sense of skillful and crafty ; denoting something peculiar or foreign to the familiar ; characterized by pleasing, dainty refinement

Etymology: Its path from "knowing" to "charmingly old-fashioned" starts with a Latin verb meaning "to know." "Cognoscere" produced the past participle "cognitus," meaning "known" or "acquainted," which passed into Old French as "cointe," meaning clever, skilful, or elegant. English borrowed that sense in Middle English as "queynte," and "quoynte" is one of its many spellings. For centuries the word meant skilful or ingenious, so a "quoynte" device was a clever one. It could also mean strange or curious, since something unfamiliar seemed odd. The sense of charm and prettiness came later, and the modern meaning of picturesque and old-fashioned developed from there.