endleofan

Posted on October 11, 2018 by Hana Videen

endleofan, n/adj/numeral: eleven. (END-LAY-ov-on / ˈɛnd-ˌlɛɔ-van)

Endleofan and the demogorgon from the medieval epic ‘Stranger þings’. A creative variation on the Welles Apocalypse, c. 1310: British Library, Royal MS. 15 D.ii, f. 156r.

cnocian

Posted on October 10, 2018 by Hana Videen

cnocian, wk.v: to knock. (K’-NOCK-ee-ahn)

This week’s Wordhord Wednesday post is on silent k. Read it on Patreon.

regnig

Posted on October 9, 2018 by Hana Videen

regnig, adj: rainy. (RAIN-eeγ)

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Inferno, Canto VI, in Dante’s Divine Comedy. Northern Italy (Genoa?), third quarter of 14th century. Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Holkham misc. 48, p. 9. [bodley.ox.ac.uk]

ǣ-swīca

Posted on October 8, 2018 by Hana Videen

ǣ-swīca, m.n: an offender of the law, a deceiver, hypocrite, apostate. (AA-zwee-ka)

solian

Posted on October 7, 2018 by Hana Videen

solian, wk.v: to make or to become foul. (SOLL-ee-on)

A page which bears the scars of vigorous scraping, which have become ingrained with dirt over the years. Bible, Central France (Tours), 1st half of the 9th century. British Library, Harley MS 2805, f. 149r. [blogs.bl.uk]

frum-sceaft

Posted on October 6, 2018 by Hana Videen

frum-sceaft, f.n: the first creation, the creation, beginning, origin, original state or condition; a created being, creature. (FRUM-shay-aft)

wyrt-brǣþ

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Hana Videen

wyrt-brǣþ, m.n: a perfume from plants, an odour, aroma. (WURT-brath)

blōd-seax

Posted on October 4, 2018 by Hana Videen

blōd-seax, n.n: a blood-knife, a lancet. (BLOAD-say-aks)

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Surgeon removes ‘fungus’ (possibly a polyp) from patient’s nose in a 12th-century medical miscellany. Oxford, Bodleian Library, Ashmole 1462, f. 10r. The MacKinney Collection of Medieval Medical Illustrations. [dc.lib.unc.edu]