hȳra

Posted on September 1, 2025 by Hana Videen

hȳra, m.n: hireling, one who works for pay, a hired servant. (HUE-rah / ˈhyː-ra)

Medieval manuscript illustration of a female servant arranging her mistress’s hair who has a comb in her lap and holds a long plait; the servant holds a mirror in one hand as she works. — Luttrell Psalter; N England (Lincolnshire), 1325-1340; British Library, Add MS 42130, f. 63r. [blogs.bl.uk]

word-sāwere

Posted on August 29, 2025 by Hana Videen

word-sāwere, m.n: word-sower. (WORD-SAH-weh-ruh / ˈwɔrd-ˌsaː-wɛ-rə)

genēat

Posted on August 17, 2025 by Hana Videen

genēat, m.n: companion, associate, vassal. (yeh-NAY-aht / jɛ-ˈneːat)

wealh-stod

Posted on July 31, 2025 by Hana Videen

wealh-stod, m.n: interpreter; one who serves as a medium between speakers of different languages; translator; interpreter of a subject, expounder; mediator. (WEH-al’h-STODD / ˈwɛalx-ˌstɔd)

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wealdend

Posted on July 30, 2025 by Hana Videen

wealdend, m.n: ruler, sovereign, lord; Lord, God. (WEH-all-dend / ˈwɛal-dɛnd)

Medieval manuscript image of God creating the sun, moon and stars; the gold sun has 13 wavy rays, the moon is a thin gold crescent on its side, and the sky is a blue circle studded with gold stars, with God standing at the centre. — Ashmole Bestiary; England (Peterborough? Lincoln?), 1201-1225; Bodleian Library, MS. Ashmole 1511, f. 5v. [digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk]

mǣden-hēap

Posted on July 24, 2025 by Hana Videen

mǣden-hēap, n: band of virgins, troop of maidens. (MAD-en-HAY-op / ˈmæː-dɛn-ˌheːap)

Mosaic of haloed women in Byzantine style clothing, each carrying a crown in their hands; the names of the saints are inscribed above in Latin. — Mosaic from the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, Italy (6th century); photo by Nick Thompson 2010 (CC BY-SA 2.0). [csla.history.ox.ac.uk]

ge-maca

Posted on July 15, 2025 by Hana Videen

ge-maca, m.n: a mate, an equal, companion. (yeh-MA-ka / jɛ-ˈma-ka)

mid-singend

Posted on July 9, 2025 by Hana Videen

mid-singend, m.n: one who sings with another. (MID-SING-gend / ˈmɪd-ˌsɪŋ-gɛnd)

Medieval historiated initial C containing five monks singing together, reading music from a book on a stand shaped like an eagle. — Luttrell Psalter; N England (Lincolnshire), 1325-1340; British Library, Add MS 42130, f. 174r. [earlymusicmuse.com]

cūða

Posted on June 20, 2025 by Hana Videen

cūða, m.n: one known, an acquaintance, a familiar friend, a relation. (KOO-tha / ˈkuː-θa)

fōstor-fæder

Posted on June 15, 2025 by Hana Videen

fōstor-fæder, m.n: foster-father, guardian. (FO-stor-FAD-er / ˈfoː-stɔr-ˌfæ-dɛr)

Medieval manuscript image of Joseph adjusting Mary’s pillow while she nurses Christ from her oddly disembodied breast. — The Holy Family in a psalter; England, early 13th century; British Library, Royal MS 1 D X, f. 1v. [aclerkofoxford.blogspot.com]

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