amiddes

Amiddes is an archaic English form that functions as a preposition and, less commonly, as an adverb meaning “in the middle of” or “among.” It appears in Middle English and Early Modern English texts and is no longer used in standard contemporary English. In modern language, amiddes is generally replaced by amid or amidst.

Etymology and form: The word combines an indefinite sense of “in” or “within” with a variant of “midd(e)” meaning “middle.” Spelling and pronunciation varied across manuscripts, yielding forms such as amiddes, amydes, or amydest in different regions and periods. The sequence reflects historical sound changes and orthographic practices of Middle English.

Usage and function: Amiddes served primarily as a spatial preposition, as in phrases such as “amiddes the field” or “stood amiddes the crowd.” It could also appear as an adverbial modifier in similar contexts. The usage tended to be stylistically marked, appearing in poetic or narrative prose more often than in everyday speech.

Historical context and decline: Amiddes is associated with earlier stages of the English language. By the late Early Modern period, the form largely fell out of use, supplanted by amid and amidst, which carried the same or very similar meanings with more regular modern spellings. The term is now chiefly of interest to linguists, philologists, and scholars studying historical texts.

See also: Amid, Amidst, Middle English.