Glossary
of Old English Words
Overview
Whether you are an historian, student, or enjoyer of Anglo-Saxon history, many Old English words and terms are hard to define. The majority of the words below come from the political documents such and law code and wills. Click on the word and expand to see the definition.
A
abbod, -as
abbot
aetheling
a prince or nobleman
especially: the heir apparent or a prince of the royal family
ambihtsmith
court smith, court carpenter, court handyman
angylde
compensation payment
B
beagġiefa, -an
ring giver
biscop
bishop
bōc, bēc
book, charter
bot
remedy, relief, or compensation
bretwalda
the chief king in Anglo-Saxon England
used as a title in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for eight kings said to have held supremacy over kingdoms beyond their own
brycg
bridge
bufan
above
C
church-frith
sanctuary, a special protection under ecclesiastical auspices
ceorl
a freeman of the lowest class
ceosan
to choose
cild, -ru
child
cuman
to come, approach
cyning, -as
king
D
dǣd, -a
deed
dēman
to judge, to decide
denalagu
Danelaw
dohtor
daughter
drihtinbeah
payment to a lord in compensation for killing his freeman
Dyflin
Dublin, Ireland
E
eald
old
ealdorman
the noble ruler or chief officer in a county
ecg
edge
Eoforwiċ
York, Yorkshire
esne, -as
slave, servant
ēastan
eastern
F
feahfang
bribery
especially: the act of taking a bribe
Frisa, Frisna, Frisan
Frisia, Frisian
fȳr
fire
G
gār, -as
spear
Ġēatas
Geats
a member of a Scandinavian people of southern Sweden from the modern day provinces of Västergötland and Östergötland.
gemōt
a judicial or legislative assembly in Anglo-Saxon England
geong
young
gesith
companion, one of a retinue of warriors
akin to Old High German gisind, gisindo one of a retinue of warriors, Old Norse sinni, Gothic gesinthja; derivatives from the root of English send
gesufel
A word of uncertain meaning, but descriptive of a certain kind of bread.
e.g. “each associate shall give a gesufel loaf for his soul”
– Laws of Athelstan, VI Athelstan
glæd
bright, glad
god, -as
God
gōd
good
H
hām,-as
home
Hāmtūnscīr
Hampshire
hindan
from behind
hīeran
to hear
hrygilebuc
incense bowl
hwæteland
wheat-growing land
hūsian
to house
Hymbre
the Humber River
I
Iotas, Iotna
the Jutes
a member of a Germanic people invading England from the Continent and settling in Kent sometime in the fifth century
L
lahslit
noun – Breaking the law or the money you have to pay if you break the law.
Note: It is only used when talking about the laws of the Danes.
lēode, lēodena
people
leodgeld
wergeld for manslaughter
Lēgaċeaster
Chester, England
Ligoraċeasterscīr
Leicestershire
lyswe
corrupt
M
morð
deadly image
mōthūs
moot-hall
mund
guardian(ship)
e.g. mundian – to act as guardian
mundbyrd
protection, patronage
N
nunne, -an
nun
nū
now, immediately
S
sculan
should
seax
a type of Germanic single-edged knife, dagger, or short sword used by the Saxons
seofen
seven
siex
six
T
thane
a free retainer of an Anglo-Saxon lord
theow
a slave
tun
farm, manor, dwelling, village
W
wegreaf
highway robbery
wergeld
the value set in Anglo-Saxon and Germanic law upon human life in accordance with rank and paid as compensation to the kindred or lord of a slain person
wīf
wife
winterstellas
year-old stallions
witan
royal council
wyrd, -a
fate
Further Research & References
Bosworth Toller’s Anglo-Saxon Dictionary Online – https://bosworthtoller.com/
Koivisto-Kokko, Victoria. Old English Online. 2023. https://oldenglish.info/
Merriam-Webster Dictionary – https://www.merriam-webster.com/
http://fs2.american.edu/dfagel/www/AlfredLaws.html
Robertson. A.J. Anglo-Saxon Charters. Cambridge University Press, 1939.
Savelli, Mary. Elementary Old English: An Introduction to the Language. 2011.
Sweet’s Anglo-Saxon Reader (1905) – https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/34316/pg34316-images.html