mammothrept

Etymology

From Late Latin mammothreptus, from Hellenistic Ancient Greek μαμμόθρεπτος (mammóthreptos, “brought up by one’s grandmother”), from μάμμη (mámmē, “grandmother”) + θρεπτός (threptós) verbal adjective from τρέφω (tréphō, “to bring up”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈmaməθɹɛpt/

Noun

mammothrept (plural mammothrepts)

1. (archaic) A spoilt child.
   • 1601, Ben Jonson, Fountaine of Selfe-love, IV.3:

     O, you are a meere mammothrept in judgement, then. Why, doe you not obserue how excellently the dittie is affected in euerie place?

   • 1947, Robertson Davies, The Diary of Samuel Marchbanks:

     She concludes, "you better apologize." The day I apologize to you, you contumacious mammothrept, there will be two moons in the sky.

   • 1970, Patrick O'Brian, Master & Commander:

     ‘And having seen the parents I am impatient to see this youth, the fruit of their strangely unattractive loins: will he be a wretched mammothrept?’