hēah-cyning

Posted on April 4, 2021 by Hana Videen

hēah-cyning, m.n: high-king, God. (HAY-ah-KUE-ning / ˈheːax-ˌky-niŋ)

Medieval manuscript image of a winged and haloed man speaking to three haloed women beside a tomb. — Psalter. France (Fécamp), c. 1180. Koninklijke Bibliotheek, KB, 76 F 13, f. 23r. [manuscripts.kb.nl]

wyn-bēam

Posted on April 2, 2021 by Hana Videen

wyn-bēam, m.n: a tree that causes delight (lit. ‘joy-tree’), an epithet of the cross. (WUN-BAY-ahm / ˈwɝn-ˌbeːam)

Medieval manuscript image of a Jesus on a cross with two men on crosses on either side of him. — Picture Bible. France (St Omer), c. 1190-1200. Koninklijke Bibliotheek, KB, 76 F 5, f. 20v. [manuscripts.kb.nl]

ge-palmtwīged

Posted on March 28, 2021 by Hana Videen

ge-palmtwīged, adj: palm-twigged, adorned with palm-twigs. (yeh-PALM-TWEE-yud / jɛ-ˈpalm-ˌtwiː-jəd)

Medieval manuscript image of a haloed man on a donkey and two men casting green leaves before him, one in a tower and one barefoot with a shirt in his hand. — Psalter & Hours. N France (Arras), c. 1300. British Library, Yates Thompson 15, f. 17v. [bl.uk]

sāwel-sceatt

Posted on March 18, 2021 by Hana Videen

sāwel-sceatt, m.n: ‘soul-money’, an ecclesiastical due to be paid for every deceased person to the clergy of the church to which he belonged, in consideration of the services performed by them on his behalf. (SAH-well-SHEH-ot / ˈsaː-wɛl-ˌʃɛat)

sanct

Posted on March 17, 2021 by Hana Videen

sanct, m.n: saint. (SAHNKT / ˈsankt)

This week’s Wordhord Wednesday post is on how your dog can help you fight off a throat infection. Read it on Patreon.

Medieval manuscript image of a haloed man asleep on a knoll with two cat-like animals and a man holding a book nearby. — St Patrick sleeping in Wauchier de Denain’s Lives of Saints. France (Paris), 13th century. British Library, Royal 20 D VI, f. 213v. [bl.uk]

cilic

Posted on January 28, 2021 by Hana Videen

cilic, m.n: garment made of hair, hair-shirt. (CHILL-itch / ˈtʃɪl-ɪtʃ)

Medieval manuscript image of a woman holding up a hair-shirt for a tonsured man; the illustration is inside the letter N in the Latin word ‘nisi’. — De Brailes Hours. England (Oxford), c. 1240. British Library, Add MS 49999, f. 49r. [blogs.bl.uk]

mid-winter

Posted on December 25, 2020 by Hana Videen

mid-winter, m.n: mid-winter, Christmas. (MID-WIN-ter / ˈmɪd-ˌwɪn-təɹ)

Medieval manuscript page showing a block of Latin text beside a sequence of images: 1, an angel addressing two shepherds; 2, a haloed pregnant woman reclined with a haloed man sitting nearby; 3, a haloed man, donkey and ox all looking at a haloed baby. — Boulogne Gospels. N France (monastery of Saint-Bertin), late 10th century. Boulogne-sur-mer, Bibliothèque municipale, MS 11, f. 12r. [enluminures.culture.fr]

wuldor-gifu

Posted on December 17, 2020 by Hana Videen

wuldor-gifu, f.n: a glorious gift, a gift of heaven (lit. glory-gift). (WULL-dor-YIH-vuh / ˈwʌl-dɔɹ-ˌjɪ-vʌ)

antefn

Posted on December 16, 2020 by Hana Videen

antefn, f/n.n: an antiphon, a hymn sung in alternate parts. (AHN-TEH-vun / ˈan-ˌtɛ-vən)

This week’s Wordhord Wednesday post is on gledes and those who imitate them. Read it on Patreon.

Page from a medieval manuscript showing medieval music notation and words written in Latin; a woman debates with a throned man inside a large letter V. — Beaupré Antiphonary. Belgium (Hainaut), c. 1290. Oxford, Ashmolean Museum Ruskin Collection WA.RS.STD.007. [ruskin.ashmolean.org]

el-þēodignes

Posted on November 30, 2020 by Hana Videen

el-þēodignes, f.n: the state of being or living abroad, a pilgrimage. (el-THAY-oh-dee-ness / ɛl-ˈθeːɔ-dɪj-nɛs)

Today’s word is from Nicole. Learn more about Goldgifa Week on Patreon.

Medieval manuscript page with two columns, each with drawings of cities and churches in sequence with labels. — Itinerary from London to Beauvais. England (St Albans), 1250s. British Library, Royal MS 14 C VII, f. 2r. [blogs.bl.uk]