Obs. Forms: α. 3 baneur, 4 baneour(e, baniour, 5 banneoure, 4–5 banyour(e, banyer(e; β. 5–6 baner(e, 5 baneer. [(α.) ME. baneur, -eour, a. AF. baneour = OF. baneor:—late L. *bannātōr-em; also (β.) ME. banere, a. OF. banère, nom. case of the same word:—late L. *bannātor; f. bannum, bandum standard: see BANNER.] A banner-bearer, a standard-bearer.
α. 1297. R. Glouc. 361. And slou anon a Englysse man, þat a baner bere, And efsone anoþer baneur, & þe þrydde almest al so.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 12723. Sant iohn com als baneur [v.r. baniour, banerere].
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XV. 428. Go bifore As a good baneoure.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 23. Banyowre or bannerberere, Vexillarius.
β. 1403. in Eulogium Hist. (1863), III. 397. Procede, signifer; quod est dictu: ‘anauant baner.’
c. 1440. Generydes, 2055. His sonne ser Abell he was baneer. Ibid., 2128. Of his batell he made hym Banere.
1513. Douglas, Æneis (1710), IV. Prol. 180. Ware na baneris for to perys mo.
¶ In OF. or AF. sometimes used in sense of banneret, with fem. baneresse banneret’s wife; so in Anglo-Lat. banerus; whence later writers occasionally put banneret for baneour: see BANNERET 3.
1297. [see BANNERET 1 a.]
a. 1300. Langtoft, in Excerpta Hist. (1830), I. (Godef.). Li count, et li baneour, et ses bachelers.
Christ. de Piz. (Godef.). Plusieurs autres contesses, baneresses, dames, et damoiselles.
1485. Instrum. conv. Ord. Brit., in Du Cange, s.v. Banneretus, Comites, Barones, Banerii, Baccalarii.
