Fid

Usage and Meaning

In the mathic world, "fid" denotes a junior learner working under elder avout inside a math. The term is used both collectively ("the fids") and as a formal style of address prefixed to a given name during instruction or examinations (for example, "Fid Erasmas").

Context in the Present Account

A cohort of thirty-two fids is brought together in a chalk hall by Grandsuur Tamura for a rigorous review of the iconographies. She states that those who satisfy her will be permitted to go extramuros during the ten days of Apert; otherwise, they must remain in the Cloister for safety. She ultimately grants the whole cohort permission to go out.

Roles and Activities

Fids assist elders in study and practice, attend lessons in chalk halls, and share routine duties around the concent. Typical chores include making sandals and other practical tasks, alongside preparing for formal reviews that gauge readiness for privileges like leaving the walls during Apert.

Cohorts and Transitions

Fids commonly identify with a "crop"—a peer cohort that studies and works together. As Apert approaches, cohorts may be reviewed by elders with an eye toward forthcoming responsibilities and placements, and it is common for a cohort to disperse afterward.

References

Usage aligns with in‑world sources such as The Dictionary, which track terms across Orth and note shifts in meaning over time.