Obs. Forms: 4 avouter, 4–5 avowtier, avowter(e, 5 avoutere, 5–6 advouter, advoutour, advoutre, 6–7 adulter. Strictly speaking, avouter and adulter are two words, as distinct in form as chapter and capital, but as the meaning was always identical, and the one form was gradually changed into the other, it is most convenient to treat them together; and so with all their derivatives. [In its oldest form a. OFr. avoutre (Pr. avoutre, -ro) aöutre:—L. adulterum (etymol. uncertain, perh. f. ad to + alter other, different); afterwards assimilated to the L. as ad-vouter, ad-voulter (MFr. advoultre); so as to become at length in form a direct adoption of the L. See also ADULTERER.] An adulterer.
1382. Wyclif, Luke xviii. 11. I am not as othere men, raueynouris, vniust, auouters, as also this pupplican [1388 auoutreris].
c. 1386. Chaucer, Friar’s T., 72. Or an Auowtier or a paramour [other MSS. auouter, -ir, Harl. avouter].
a. 1420. Occleve, De Reg. Princ., 64. Who so lithe with his neighbores wyfe Is cursed, and who is ony advoutour.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., Avowtere (v.r. avowtrere, avowterere) Adulter, Adultera.
1502. Arnold, Chron. (1811), 175. Noterye and knowen fornicatours or auouteres.
1535. Coverdale, Luke xviii. 11. Robbers vnrighteous aduouters or as this publican.
1537. Tindale, Exp. 1st Ep. John, v. The covetous, the extortioners, the adulter, the backbites.
1545. Coverdale, Def. Poore Man, Wks. II. 485. God will judge fornicators and advoutres.
1587. Lyrics, etc., in Eng. Garner, II. 84. When he first took shipping to Lacedæmon, That adulter I mean.
1645. Milton, Tetrach. (1851), 244. It would be strange that he … should become an adulter by marrying one who is now no other mans wife.
