Definitions For Quoth

Verb

(archaic, or, literary, now, defective) Simple past tense of quethe; said quoth , - , quoth (defective, modal, auxiliary) to say

Usage notes

Quoth is considered a appendix:glossary#defective, defective verb because it is now the only recognizable form of the verb quethe, all other forms of which are appendix:glossary#obsolete, obsolete. Quoth almost always comes before the subject, usually in the form "quoth he/she." It also often comes after the appendix:glossary#object, object, which is whatever is being said by the subject, written between quotation mark, quotation marks. It can also be inserted in the middle of an object phrase, where "quoth [subject]" is separated from the rest of the sentence by comma, commas.

See also

quote say

Etymology

From Middle English quoth, quath, from {{inh, en, ang, cwæþ}} (first and third person past indicative of cweþan, t=to say, speak to, address, exhort, admonish), from {{inh, en, gem-pro, kwaþ}} (first and third person past indicative of {{der, en, gem-pro, *kweþaną, t=to say}}).