alce

English

Etymology 1

From Latin alcē (also alcēs). Doublet of Algiz.

Noun

alce (plural alces)

1. (obsolete) An elk.
   • 1541, Elyot, Image Gov., published 1556, page 81; quoted in “† Alce”, in James A. H. Murray [et al.], editors, A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), volumes I (A–B), London: Clarendon Press, 1884–1928, →OCLC, page 208, column 3:

     Alces, brought for the nonce out of the great wooddes of Germany.

   • 1572, Iohn Bossewell, Workes of Armorie Deuided into Three Bookes, Entituled, the Concordes of Armorie, the Armorie of Honor, and of Cotes and Creastes, , London: Henrie Ballard, , published 1597, folios 111, verso – 112, recto:

     His creaſt, the beaſt Alce pꝛoper, leaning to an Oke Vert, ſet on a toꝛce de Oꝛ and Gules, mantled Sable, doubled Oꝛ, ſuppoꝛted with a Beuer argent, coloured and vnguled Sable, and an Harpie Vert, Wynged de Oꝛ. The Alce diſcribed foꝛ the creaſt of the ſaid coate Armour, is a wilde Beaſte in the woods of Germany, in faſhion and ſkinne like to a fallowe Déere, but greater, and hath no iointes in his legges: and therefoꝛe he doth neuer lye, but leans to a trée when he doth reſt him.

   • 1587, Caius Julius Solinus, translated by Arthur Golding, The Excellent and Pleasant Worke: Collectanea Rerum Memorabilium , Gainesville, Fla.: Scholars’ Facsimiles & Reprints, published 1955:

     CAP. XXXI. of Germanie, and the wonderfull byrdes therein, and of the Bugles, Vres, and Alces. wylde Beaſtes. […] There is alſo a beaſt called Alce much reſembling a Mule, with ſuch a long vpper lippe, that he cannot féede but he muſt goe backward. […] OVer againſt Germanie is the Ilande Scandinauia, which bꝛéedeth a beaſt ∗ much reſembling an Alce, which like yͤ Oliphant boweth not the nether ioyntes of his legs, and therefoꝛe lyeth not downe when he ſléepeth, but reſteth himſelfe when he is dꝛowſie, againſt a Trée, the which is ſawne almoſt a ſunder, ready to fall, that when the beaſt leaneth to his accuſtomed ſtaie, he may fall downe: and ſo is hee caught, foꝛ otherwiſe it is a hard matter to catch hym by hand.

     ∗ Munſter taketh this beaſt to be the Alce

   • 1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “ Of Scythian beasts, and those that are bred in the North parts.”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. , 1st tome, London: Adam Islip, →OCLC, page 200:

     Moreover, a certaine beaſt, called the Alce, very like to an horſe, but that his eares are longer; and his necke likewiſe with two markes, diſtinguiſh them aſunder. Moreover, in the Iſland Scandinavia, there is a beaſt called Machlis, not much unlike to the Alce abovenamed: common he is there, and much talk we have heard of him, howbeit in theſe parts hee was never ſeene. Hee reſembleth, I ſay, the Alce, but that hee hath neither joint in the hough, nor paſternes in his hind-legs: and therefore hee never lieth downe, but ſleepeth leaning to a tree.

   • 1610, Thomae Thomasii Dictionarium Summa Fide ac Diligentia Accuratissime Emendatum, Magnaque Insuper Rerum Scitu Dignarum, et Vocabvlorum Accessione, Longè Auctiùs Locupletiúsque Redditum, 8th edition, Cambridge, Cambs: Ex Officina Iohannis Legati, :

     Maclis, Plin. A beaſt in Scandinavia like to Alce, very ſwift, leaning to a tree when it ſleepeth, and beeing once fallen, cannot lift it ſelfe vp againe.

   • 1617, Horn & Rob., Gate Lang. Unl., § 193, page xvii; quoted in “† Alce”, in James A. H. Murray [et al.], editors, A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), volumes I (A–B), London: Clarendon Press, 1884–1928, →OCLC, page 208, column 3:

     The alces hide cannot be pierced with cutting.

   • a. 1625, Miles Smith, Sermons of the Right Reuerend Father in God Miles Smith, Late Lord Bishop of Glocester. Transcribed out of His Originall Manuscripts, and Now Published for the Common Good., London: Elizabeth Allde for Robert Allot, , published 1632, pages 255–256:

     If you will ſee the Crocodyle, you muſt goe into Egypt; if the Oſtrich, into Barbary or Ethiopia; if the Rhinoceros, you muſt goe into India; if the Alce, vnto Polonia, &c.

   • 1659, John Schroder, translated by T. Bateson, Ζωολογια : or, The History of Animals as They Are Useful in Physick and Chirurgery. , London: E. Cotes, for R. Royston and Rob. Clavel , pages 5 and 61:

     The hoof in the Falling ſickneſs is accounted nothing inferiour to the Alce’s. […] Of the brain of an Alce in like manner may an excellent Antepileptick be prepared.

   • 1671, Edward Phillips, compiler, The Nevv World of Words: Or a General English Dictionary, 3rd edition, London: Nath. Brook, :

     Alce, a wild beaſt, in faſhion and ſkin like a fallow Deer, but greater, and hath no joynts in his legs, and therefore doth never ly down but lean to trees; the horn of it is uſeful in Phyſick.

   • a. 1714, J[odocus] C[rull], A Supplement to Mr. Samuel Puffendorf’s Introduction to the History of Europe: , 2nd edition, London: Aaron Ward, , published 1726, page 551:

     But to come to their wild Beaſts; among thoſe the Alce or Elk, leads the Van in this Country, tho’ among the Laplanders the Bear is ſtyl’d the Lord of the Forreſt, and of all the other wild Beaſts.

   • 1753, A Supplement to Mr. Chambers’s Cyclopædia: or, Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences. , volume I, London: W. Innys and J. Richardson, :

     The Alce, or Elk, is an animal ſo differently deſcribed by the antients, that it is evident they either knew very little of it, or elſe different writers have deſcribed different animals under this name.

References

• “alce, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.

Etymology 2

Noun

alce (plural alces)

1. (rare) A mythical beast resembling a griffin with no wings, often classified as a male griffin.

   Synonym: keythong

   • 1842, John Burke, John Bernard Burke, A General Armory of England, Scotland, and Ireland, London: Edward Churton, :

     Ar. a fesse betw. three alces’ or griffins’ heads erased sa.

   • ; East Dereham: W. H. Brown, , page 4, column 2:

     Alce. The Male Griffin. […] Alice, or Alce. The Male Gryphon.]