snāw-hwīt

Posted on December 28, 2024 by Hana Videen

snāw-hwīt, adj: snow-white. (SNAW-H’WEET / ˈsnaː-ˌhwiːt)

haswig-feþera

Posted on November 29, 2024 by Hana Videen

haswig-feþera, adj: having grey feathers; used as a substantive to mean ‘the grey-feathered one’. (HA-zwih-FETH-er-ah / ˈhaz-wɪj-ˌfɛ-θɛ-ra)

ǣ-blǣce

Posted on September 22, 2023 by Hana Videen

ǣ-blǣce, adj: (of the face or body) pale, wan. (AE-BLATCH-uh / ˈæː-ˌblæː-tʃə)

saluwig-feðera

Posted on April 15, 2023 by Hana Videen

saluwig-feðera, adj: of dusky plumage. (SA-luh-wih-FETH-eh-ra / ˈsa-lʌ-wɪj-ˌfɛ-θɛ-ra)

Medieval manuscript image of a black raven feeding a worm to one of its four chicks in a nest. — Harley Bestiary; England (Salisbury?), c. 1230-40; British Library, Harley MS 4751, f. 50v. [bl.uk]

bōc-rēad

Posted on April 4, 2023 by Hana Videen

bōc-rēad, n: book-red, vermilion (so named, because it was much used in ornamenting books); minium. (BOAK-RAY-ahd / ˈboːk-ˌreːad)

Medieval manuscript image of a full-page artistic combination of the letters L, I and B, that form the first part of the word “liber”, with other Latin writing in gold surrounding it; the big letters are gold with interlace designs and are outlined and ornamented with a red pigment. — Gospel book; France (Metz), late 10th century; Bibliothèque nationale de France, Latin 9393, f. 29r. [iiif.biblissima.fr]

deorce-grǣg

Posted on November 22, 2022 by Hana Videen

deorce-grǣg, adj: dark grey. (DEH-or-chuh-GRAIE / ˈdɛɔr-tʃə-ˌgræːj)

Matthew Paris, Liber additamentorum; England (St Albans), 1250s; British Library, Cotton MS Nero D I, f. 169v. [bl.uk]

fealu

Posted on September 8, 2022 by Hana Videen

fealu, adj: colour-term of uncertain/varied meaning: basically yellow but variously tinted with shades of red, brown or grey, often pale, always unsaturated (not vivid). (FEH-ah-luh / ˈfɛa-lʌ)

wundor-blēo

Posted on May 5, 2022 by Hana Videen

wundor-blēo, n.n: a wondrous colour. (WUN-dor-BLAY-oh / ˈwʌn-dɔr-ˌbleːɔ)

Medieval manuscript image of a spotted, multicoloured, four-legged creature with claws and a long tail; breath is visible coming out of its mouth, and various other animals such as a lion and unicorn appear to be drawn to it. — Panther in a bestiary; England, c. 1226-1250; Bodleian Library, MS. Bodley 764, f. 7v. [digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk]

basuian

Posted on April 28, 2022 by Hana Videen

basuian, wk.v: to be clad in purple. (BAH-swi-ahn / ˈba-swɪ-an)

Medieval manuscript image of a woman sitting on the ground beside a plant, with her legs in front of her, wearing a long purple dress with white trim; she holds her chin in her hands, with her elbows propped up on her knees, and she has a rather angry or disgusted look on her face; the folio has been cut so the top of her head is missing. — Luttrell Psalter; N England (Lincolnshire), 1325-1340; British Library, Add MS 42130, f. 53r. [bl.uk]

basu

Posted on April 21, 2022 by Hana Videen

basu, adj: purple, red, crimson. (BAH-zuh / ˈba-zʌ)

Medieval manuscript image of a cow-human hybrid with a purple body; its human-like hands hold its big cow ears, and two horns are on its head; it has an oddly human facial expression and wears a jacket. — Luttrell Psalter; N England (Lincolnshire), 1325-1340; British Library, Add MS 42130, f. 169v. [bl.uk]

Old English Wordhord

Old English Word of the Day

Category Archives: colours