frid-hengest

Posted on February 17, 2026 by Hana Videen

frid-hengest, m.n: of uncertain meaning but ‘hengest’ is definitely ‘horse’; one suggestion is ‘horse-horse’ (tautological); less likely are ‘beautiful-horse’, ‘peace-horse’ or ‘war-horse’. (FRID-HENG-gest / ˈfrɪd-ˌhɛŋ-gɛst)

Medieval manuscript image of blue horse with spots. — Bestiary; England, 1220-1240; Cambridge University Library, Kk.4.25, f. 59r. [cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk]

hremn

Posted on December 8, 2025 by Hana Videen

hremn, m.n: raven. (H’REH-mun / ˈhrɛ-mən)

Six black birds standing around in a medieval manuscript margin; the bird on the far left is picking up a seed in its beak. — Psalter of Isabelle of France; England (York), 1303-1308; Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Cod.gall. 16, f. 52r. [digitale-sammlungen.de]

yrfe

Posted on November 4, 2025 by Hana Videen

yrfe, n.n: cattle. (UER-vuh / ˈyr-və)

Medieval manuscript image of two cows and a bull; the bull inexplicably seems to be breathing fire. — Bestiary from a didactic miscellany; England, 1220-1240; Cambridge University Library, Kk.4.25, f. 58r. [cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk]

lempedu

Posted on October 14, 2025 by Hana Videen

lempedu, f.n: a lamprey. (LEM-peh-duh / ˈlɛm-pɛ-dʌ)

Medieval manuscript illustration of a brown eel coiled up with a funny sort of grimace on its face. — Eel in Der Naturen Bloeme (I realise this may not be specifically a lamprey… feel free to share if you have a medieval lamprey pic); Flanders, c. 1350; Koninklijke Bibliotheek, KB, KA 16, f. 117r. [galerij.kb.nl]

dēoren

Posted on October 4, 2025 by Hana Videen

dēoren, adj: of or like a wild animal. (DAY-o-ren / ˈdeːɔ-rɛn)

A stack of THE DEORHORD: AN OLD ENGLISH BESTIARY, including two paperbacks and two hardcovers. The books are on a wooden staircase and beside them is a brown and white cat sniffing at a treat. — It’s World Animal Day (Dēores Dæg… it sounds better in Old English). Learn all about Old English animals in The Deorhord: An Old English Bestiary.

stēda

Posted on September 3, 2025 by Hana Videen

stēda, m.n: stallion (mainly equine but also used for a male camel). (STAY-da / ˈsteː-da)

Medieval manuscript image of a line-up of camels; the one on the far left bears a man with a spear. — Old English Hexateuch; England, 11th century; British Library, MS Cotton Claudius B IV, f. 39r. [caitlingreen.org]

mere-fisc

Posted on August 28, 2025 by Hana Videen

mere-fisc, m.n: sea-fish. (MEH-ruh-FISH / ˈmɛ-rə-ˌfɪʃ)

Medieval manuscript illustration of two fish facing away from each other, their bodies mostly vertical but with their tails inclined closer together; a triangle-shaped block of text separates them. — Fish depicted in a 13th-century grammar text; Worcester Cathedral Library, F99, f. 71v. [worcestercathedrallibrary.wordpress.com]

weþer

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Hana Videen

weþer, m.n: ram. (WEH-ther / ˈwɛ-θɛr)

Medieval manuscript image of a blue ram with curly horns. — Aberdeen Bestiary; England, c. 1200; Aberdeen University Library, MS 24, f. 21r. [abdn.ac.uk]

pard

Posted on August 18, 2025 by Hana Videen

pard, n: leopard or panther. (PARD / ˈpard)

Medieval manuscript illustration of a spotted leopard running, a rather goofy and un-catlike expression on its face. — Bestiary; England, 13th century; Bibliothèque Nationale de France, lat. 3630, f. 75v. [bestiary.ca]

næder-bīta

Posted on July 16, 2025 by Hana Videen

næder-bīta, m.n: ichneumon (lit. ‘snake-biter’). (NADD-er-BEE-ta / ˈnæ-dɛr-ˌbiː-ta)

Medieval manuscript image of a black, lion-like creature with hoofed feet baring its teeth at a pair of wyverns. — Liber de natura rerum; France (Abbaye de Saint-Amand), 13th century; Bibliothèque Municipale de Valenciennes, MS 320, f. 73r. [bestiary.ca]