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atel

Posted on November 8, 2025 by Hana Videen

atel, adj: dire, terrible. (AH-tell / ˈa-tɛl)

Medieval manuscript illustration of a salmon-coloured griffin grasping a man’s entire torso in its beak, gripping a leg with its forefeet; the man is bleeding a lot but appears to be alive.
Bestiary from a didactic miscellany; England, 1220-1240; Cambridge University Library, Kk.4.25, f. 67v. [cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk]
Posted in etc Leave a comment

hālig-portic

Posted on November 7, 2025 by Hana Videen

hālig-portic, n.n: a sanctuary. (HA-lih-POR-tick / ˈhaː-lɪj-ˌpɔr-tɪk)

Posted in places, religion Leave a comment

sund-hwæt

Posted on November 6, 2025 by Hana Videen

sund-hwæt, adj: water-quick, active in swimming. (SUND-H’WAT / ˈsʌnd-ˌhwæt)

Medieval manuscript illustration of four deer moving through water towards a tree or plant.
Bestiary from a didactic miscellany; England, 1220-1240; Cambridge University Library, Kk.4.25, f. 62r. [cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk]
Posted in hord highlights, water Leave a comment

fullunga

Posted on November 5, 2025 by Hana Videen

fullunga, adv: fully. (FULL-lung-ga / ˈfʌl-lʌŋ-ga)

Posted in measuring Leave a comment

yrfe

Posted on November 4, 2025 by Hana Videen

yrfe, n.n: cattle. (UER-vuh / ˈyr-və)

Medieval manuscript image of two cows and a bull; the bull inexplicably seems to be breathing fire.
Bestiary from a didactic miscellany; England, 1220-1240; Cambridge University Library, Kk.4.25, f. 58r. [cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk]
Posted in animals, deorhord book 3 Comments

weald

Posted on November 3, 2025 by Hana Videen

weald, m.n: high land covered with woods, forest. (WEH-ald / ˈwɛald)

Posted in deorhord book, places, trees + plants Leave a comment

nīd-gedāl

Posted on November 2, 2025 by Hana Videen

nīd-gedāl, n.n: an inevitable parting, the parting of body and soul. (NEED-yeh-DAHL / ˈniːd-jɛ-ˌdaːl)

Medieval manuscript illustration of a naked human body with no visible sexual organs rising up from a grave containing a skeleton that extends its arms; a winged and haloed figure hovers above.
Miscellany; N England, mid 15th century; British Library, Additional 37049, f. 81v. [medievalkarl.com]
Posted in body + health, religion Leave a comment

hālig-waras

Posted on November 1, 2025 by Hana Videen

hālig-waras, pl.m.n: holy people, saints. (HA-lih-WA-rahs / ˈhaː-lɪj-ˌwa-ras)

Posted in people, religion Leave a comment

hēafod-bān

Posted on October 31, 2025 by Hana Videen

hēafod-bān, n: skull. (HAY-ah-vod-BAHN / ˈheːa-vɔd-ˌbaːn)

Read my Mōnaþ-spell (monthly update) on Patreon.

Medieval manuscript image of a fish swimming over a grinning skull.
Hours of Saint-Omer; France, c. 1320; British Library, Add 36684, f. 88r. [discardingimages.tumblr.com]
Posted in body + health Leave a comment

grislīc

Posted on October 30, 2025 by Hana Videen

grislīc, adj: grim, horrible; inspiring terror, horror or awe. (GRIZZ-leech / ˈgrɪz-liːtʃ)

Posted in deorhord book Leave a comment

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