fīf-lēaf

Posted on November 23, 2021 by Hana Videen

fīf-lēaf, f.n: cinquefoil (‘five-leaf’). (FEEF-LAY-ahf / ˈfiːf-ˌleːaf)

Medieval manuscript illustration of creeping cinquefoil, a plant with yellow flowers and leaves that split into five segments; a small snake is coiled beside it. — Tractatus de herbis; Italy (Salerno), c.1280-c.1310; British Library, Egerton 747, f. 78v. [bl.uk]

trēow

Posted on October 1, 2021 by Hana Videen

trēow, n.n: tree, wood. (TRAY-oh / ˈtreːoː)

Medieval manuscript image of a man with a club at the base of a tree next to a pair of shoes; the man looks up into the tree’s branches where a boy in stocking feet is stealing cherries. — Luttrell Psalter; N England (Lincolnshire), 1325-1340; British Library, Add MS 42130, f. 196v. [bl.uk]

þorn

Posted on July 10, 2021 by Hana Videen

þorn, m.n: a thorn; name of the TH-rune ᚦ. (THORN / ˈθɔrn)

Black handwriting on parchment, beginning with a decorative initial þ six lines tall, followed by a capital letter A. — Junius Manuscript; England, 1000; Bodleian Library, MS Junius 11, p. 83. [digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk]

linden

Posted on June 27, 2021 by Hana Videen

linden, adj: made of wood from the linden tree (called basswood in North America), commonly called lime tree in the UK although it’s not closely related to the tree that produces lime fruit. (LIN-den / ˈlɪn-dɛn)

lēaf-helmig

Posted on June 15, 2021 by Hana Videen

lēaf-helmig, adj: having a leafy top, having leafy tresses. (LAY-ahv-HELL-mih / ˈleːav-ˌhɛl-mɪj)

Medieval manuscript image of a king and his men kneeling and praying before two trees, one with a sun on it and one with a moon on it, to which a standing figure gestures. — *Roman d’Alexandre*; England, 1333-c. 1340; British Library, Royal MS 19 D I, f. 32r. [bl.uk]

þorn-rǣw

Posted on June 2, 2021 by Hana Videen

þorn-rǣw, f.n: a row of thorn-bushes. (THORN-RAEW / ˈθɔrn-ˌræːw)

This week’s Wordhord Wednesday post is about what’s tolerable. Read it on Patreon.

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]

hassuc

Posted on February 20, 2021 by Hana Videen

hassuc, m.n: coarse grass, a place where such grass grows. (HA-suck / ˈha-sʌk)

Medieval manuscript image of a king bent over next to a cow, both of them eating grass. — Guyart des Moulins’ *Bible historiale*. France (Paris & Clairefontaine), 1411. British Library, Royal 19 D III, f. 402r. [bl.uk]

hænne-belle

Posted on October 20, 2020 by Hana Videen

hænne-belle, f.n: henbane. (HAN-neh-BELL-leh / ˈhæn-nɛ-ˌbɛl-lɛ)

Medieval manuscript illustration of a flowering plant, possibly with fruits, and a handwritten paragraph in an unidentified language. — Voynich Manuscript. Italy(?), 15th century. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Beinecke MS 408, f. 31r. [brbl-dl.library/yale.edu]

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