Forms: α. 5–6 genett, 6 gynnet, 6–7 ginnet, 6–8 gennet(te, 6–9 genet, 7 ganet, 7–9 ginet, 8 gennett. β. 5 iennet(te, 6 ienete, -ate, iannet, ionet, 6–7 ienet(t, 7– jennet. [a. F. genet (in 15th c. also ginet) in same sense, a. Sp. jinete, † ginete, ‘a light horseman that rideth a la gineta’ (F. à la genette), i.e., ‘with the legs trussed vp in short stirrups, with a target and a ginnet launce’ (Minsheu, 1599). In Fr. and Eng. (also in It. gianetto masc., gianetta fem.) transferred from the horseman to his horse, a sense unknown to Sp. dictionaries until quite recently. The Sp. use appears in our sense 2, which is however later in Eng. Dozy derives the Sp. word from Arab. Zenāta ‘a great Berber nation noted for the valour of its cavalry’; other conjectures have been made.]
1. A small Spanish horse.
α. 1463. Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.), 178. Item ffor a genett that my mastyr lent hym into the northe contry.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., II. 834/1. The countie Galeas came into the place on a genet trapped in blew satten.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1645), III. 109. The proudest Don … prancing upon his ginet in the streets.
1670. Dryden, 1st Pt. Conq. Granada, I. i. (Each Brandishing his Bull-spear in his Hand) Did their proud Gennets gracefully command.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1862), I. I. i. 250. Next to the Barb, travellers generally rank the Spanish genette.
1870. Disraeli, Lothair, iv. 10. The dames and damsels vaulted on their barbs and genets.
β. c. 1475[?]. Sqr. lowe Degre, 749. Iennettes of Spayne, that ben so wyght, Trapped to the ground with velvet bright.
1550. Lyndesay, Sqr. Meldrum, 1711. Ane man in armour bricht, Upon ane ionet or ane cursour wicht.
1565. Jewel, Repl. Harding (1611), 310. The Sacrament must be caried before him, whither so euer he goe, vpon a faire white Iannet.
1580. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 405. In seeking to trie your louer like a Ienet, you tyre him like a Iade.
a. 1674. Milton, Hist. Mosc., i. Wks. (1851), 479. The Emperor rides into the Field … with all his Nobility, on Jennets and Turky Horses.
1764. Churchill, Times, Wks. 1776, III. 78. Watch not their steps—They’re safe without thy care, Unless, like Jennets, they conceive by air.
1838. Prescott, Ferd. & Is., I. I. v. 252. Isabella, royally attired, rode on a Spanish jennet.
† 2. A (Spanish) light horseman. Obs. exc. Hist.
1676. North’s Plutarch, Add. Lives 76. He [Cortez] was made Lieutenant of a company of Gennets.
[1838. Prescott, Ferd. & Is., II. II. ii. 406. The Spanish ginetes succeeded in throwing the French gendarmerie into some disorder.]
3. attrib., as jennet-bit, -fashion, -lance.
1599. Minsheu, Sp. Dict., Gineta lança, a ginnet launce.
1600. J. Pory, trans. Leo’s Africa, II. 364. They fight on horsebacke after the Gynnet fashion, they use lances with two heads, and darts and arrowes.
1600. E. Blount, trans. Conestaggio, 196–7. A thousande foote, and fiue hundreth horse, after the Genette manner.
1611. Cotgr., Genet, a kind of bit with a round port … a Genet-bit.
