ENGLISH
REFERENCE

whyte

adj.
C2 Proficiency US //ˈhwaɪt// whyte Archaic

adj. an old way of spelling the color white. You might see this in very old books or on old signs.

adj. an archaic spelling of the color white. Used in Middle English and early Modern English texts.


SIMPLE

The old book describes a horse of whyte color.

CONTEXTUAL

In the museum's collection of medieval manuscripts, the scribe used the spelling whyte to describe the snowy landscape.

COMPLEX

Scholars of historical linguistics often point to the spelling whyte as a typical example of the non-standardized orthography prevalent before the introduction of the printing press.

Usage

Archaic spelling; replaced by 'white' in modern standard English.

Pitfall

The whyte houseThe white houseWhyte is an archaic spelling and should not be used in modern writing unless quoting historical texts.

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