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Category Archives: animals

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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]
Posted in animals, deorhord book Leave a comment

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]
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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]
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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]
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nihte-gala

Posted on July 13, 2025 by Hana Videen

nihte-gala, m.n: nightingale (lit. ‘night-singer’). (NI’HT-uh-GA-la / ˈnɪxt-ə-ˌga-la)

Medieval manuscript image of a tawny bird sitting on a bowl-like nest filled with eggs.
Aberdeen Bestiary; England, c. 1200; Aberdeen University Library, MS 24, f. 52v. [abdn.ac.uk]
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hrycg-hǣr

Posted on July 7, 2025 by Hana Videen

hrycg-hǣr, n.n: hair on the back of an animal. (H’RUEDG-HAER / ˈhrydʒ-ˌhæːr)

Medieval manuscript image of a large hairy fish body with a snarling human head.
Nereid in Liber de natura rerum; France (Abbaye de Saint-Amand), 13th century; Bibliothèque Municipale de Valenciennes, MS 320, f. 117r. [bestiary.ca]
Posted in animals, body + health, deorhord book Leave a comment

snaca

Posted on May 23, 2025 by Hana Videen

snaca, m/f.n: snake, reptile, perhaps even a scorpion. (SNAH-ka / ˈsna-ka)

Medieval manuscript illustration of a two-legged, two-winged dragon-like creature with a very long neck and even longer tail, coiled around in circles.
Boa in the Aberdeen Bestiary; England, c. 1200; Aberdeen University Library, MS 24, f. 69r. [abdn.ac.uk]
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renge

Posted on May 4, 2025 by Hana Videen

renge, f.n: spider. (RENG-guh / ˈrɛŋ-gə)

Medieval manuscript illustration of a spider with eight hairy, wavy legs ending in pincers, waiting beside an ant hill crawling with ants.
De animalibus; France (Paris), mid 14th century; Bibliothèque Nationale de France, lat. 16169, f. 331v. [gallica.bnf.fr]
Posted in animals, deorhord book Leave a comment

lox

Posted on April 15, 2025 by Hana Videen

lox, m.n: lynx. (LOCKS / ˈlɔks)

Medieval manuscript illustration of a long, spotted cat-like creature.
Lynx in a bestiary; England, c. 1170; British Library, Add MS 11283, f. 3v. [bestiary.ca]
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foxunga

Posted on April 11, 2025 by Hana Videen

foxunga, pl.n: foxlike wiles, tricks. (FAWK-sung-ga / ˈfɔk-sʌŋ-ga)

Marginal illustration in a medieval manuscript of a fox disguised in human clothing approaching a hare.
Ormesby Psalter; England (East Anglia), 1250-1330; Bodleian Library, MS. Douce 366, f. 89r. [digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk]
Posted in animals, deorhord book, hord highlights Leave a comment

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