Meane

Meane is a historical spelling variant of the English word mean that appears in Middle English and Early Modern English texts. It reflects the orthographic practices of the period, when scribes varied spellings and pronunciation was not yet standardized. As such, meane is not a distinct lexical item with a separate modern meaning; it represents the same range of senses found in mean today, understood from context.

In the verb sense, meane occurs where modern editors would use mean to indicate intention or significance, as in phrases equivalent to “to mean to do something” or “to mean that.” In mathematical or quantitative contexts, meane can be connected with the notion of the mean—the middle value or average—again depending on the surrounding text. The form therefore acts as a historical spelling variant of mean across several senses rather than constituting a separate sense of its own.

Orthography shows substantial variation, with meane appearing alongside other spellings such as mene or meene in surviving manuscripts. The form declined as English spelling became more standardized during the Early Modern period, and mean emerged as the prevailing spelling by the 17th century. The usage of meane thus illustrates broader patterns of historical spelling variation in English rather than a fixed, contemporary term.

See also: mean, Middle English language, English orthography.