ge-belg

Posted on April 30, 2024 by Hana Videen

ge-belg, m.n: anger, offense. (yeh-BELG / jɛ-ˈbɛlg)

Medieval manuscript image of an angry and strange-looking snail, with tall ears and gritted teeth. — Jacob van Maerlant’s Der Naturen Bloeme; Flanders, c. 1350; Koninklijke Bibliotheek, KA 16, f. 109v. [discardingimages.tumblr.com]

wōp

Posted on April 29, 2024 by Hana Videen

wōp, m.n: a whoop, cry; mostly a cry of grief, wailing, lamentation, weeping. (WOPE / ˈwoːp)

wamb

Posted on April 28, 2024 by Hana Videen

wamb, f.n: belly, stomach; womb. (WAHMB / ˈwamb)

Diagram of the female reproductive system in a medieval manuscript with an oddly architectural appearance, framed by fluted column-like structures, crowded around with notes in Latin; a tiny person is in the womb. — Diagram of a uterus; England, 1250-1310; Bodleian Library, MS. Ashmole 399, f. 13v. [digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk]

lēac-weard

Posted on April 27, 2024 by Hana Videen

lēac-weard, m.n: gardener. (LAY-ock-WEH-ard / ˈleːak-ˌwɛard)

ō-leccan

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Hana Videen

ō-leccan, wk.v: to treat gently, to soothe, caress; to be obsequious, pay court to, fawn upon, flatter, to try to gain a person’s good will by unworthy means; to gain good will by worthy means, to propitiate, be submissive. (oh-LETCH-ahn / oː-ˈlɛtʃ-an)

beadu-wǣpen

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Hana Videen

beadu-wǣpen, n.n: battle-weapon. (BEH-ah-duh-WAP-en / ˈbɛa-dʌ-ˌwæː-pɛn)

Medieval manuscript image of a woman with Princess Leia hair and a long gown with her arm drawn back, having just released an arrow from the bow in her left hand; she carries more arrows on her back. — Taymouth Hours; England (London?), 14th century; British Library, MS Yates Thompson 13, f. 68v. [blogs.bl.uk]

norþ-lane

Posted on April 24, 2024 by Hana Videen

norþ-lane, n: a north lane. (NORTH-LAH-nuh / ˈnɔrθ-ˌla-nə)

This week’s Wordhord Wednesday post is on a mystery plant. Read it on Patreon.

sǣ-draca

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Hana Videen

sǣ-draca, m.n: sea-dragon. (SAE-DRAH-ka / ˈsæː-ˌdra-ka)

Medieval manuscript image of a sea dragon swimming in the water, a creature with long ears, snout, long tail, and webbed feet. — Liber de natura rerum; France (Abbaye de Saint-Amand), 13th century; Bibliothèque Municipale de Valenciennes, MS 320, f. 114r. [portail.biblissima.fr]

eorþ-grāp

Posted on April 22, 2024 by Hana Videen

eorþ-grāp, f.n: earth’s grip, grasp of the earth. (EH-orth-GRAWP / ˈɛɔrθ-ˌgraːp)

Medieval manuscript image of God creating the earth, with a compass and scales in one hand and two rods extending from his mouth; the earth is depicted as two concentric circles with waves and a haloed bird. — Tiberius Psalter; England (Winchester), mid 11th century; British Library, Cotton MS Tiberius C VI, f. 7v. [blogs.bl.uk]

lēoht-fæt

Posted on April 21, 2024 by Hana Videen

lēoht-fæt, n.n: lamp, light, lantern. (LAY-o’ht-FAT / ˈleːɔxt-ˌfæt)

Medieval manuscript image of monks signalling to each other with torches across a body of water. — Bede’s prose Life of St Cuthbert; England (Durham), late 12th century; British Library, Yates Thompson MS 26, f. 74v. [blogs.bl.uk]