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puis·ne

(pynē) Chiefly British

adj.

Lower in rank; junior.

One of lesser rank than another, especially an associate judge.

[Old French puisne : puis, afterward (ultimately from Latin post; see apo- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + ne, born (from Latin nātus, past participle of nāscī, to be born; see genə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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