feormian

Posted on November 16, 2023 by Hana Videen

feormian, wk.v: to foster or maintain; to entertain or welcome a guest; to harbour a fugitive or criminal; to maintain someone with basic necessities; to supply food as an obligation or rent; to provide a feast for someone. (FEH-or-mi-ahn / ˈfɛɔr-mɪ-an)

æsc-þrote

Posted on November 15, 2023 by Hana Videen

æsc-þrote, f.n: verbena, vervain. (ASH-THROT-uh / ˈæʃ-ˌθrɔ-tə)

This week’s Wordhord Wednesday post is on dragon jaws and misbehaving monks. Read it on Patreon.

Medieval manuscript illustration of a plant with pairs of leaves up its three stems, with round yellow buds at the ends; two smaller plants are on either side and underneath is a line of Arabic text. — Arabic translation of De materia medica by Dioscorides; Istanbul, 1224; leaf from Suleymaniye Library, Ms. Aya Sofya 3703. [gardnermuseum.org]

mōd-blind

Posted on November 14, 2023 by Hana Videen

mōd-blind, adj: having the mind’s eye darkened, undiscerning. (MOAD-BLINND / ˈmoːd-ˌblɪnd)

be-gīnan

Posted on November 13, 2023 by Hana Videen

be-gīnan, str.v: to open the mouth wide, gape. (beh-YEE-nahn / bɛ-ˈjiː-nan)

Medieval manuscript image of a gaping hell mouth into which a naked people are being thrown by a grinning, hairy demon. — Apocalypse de S. Jean; Belgium, c. 1313; Bibliothèque nationale de France, Département des manuscrits, Français 13096, f. 86r. [portail.biblissima.fr]

heofon-lēoht

Posted on November 12, 2023 by Hana Videen

heofon-lēoht, n.n: the light of heaven, a light from heaven. (HEH-oh-von-LAY-o’ht / ˈhɛɔ-vɔn-ˌleːɔxt)

tīn

Posted on November 11, 2023 by Hana Videen

tīn, n/adj/numeral: ten. (TEEN / ˈtiːn)

Celebrate the 10th anniversary of Old English Word of the Day by sharing your favourite Old English word.

The Roman numeral X written on parchment, with a dot on either side of it; the writing on the opposite side of the parchment shows through. — Today is the 10th anniversary of Old English Wordhord! Bald’s Leechbook; England (Winchester), mid 10th century; British Library, Royal MS 12 D XVII, f. 20v. [bl.uk]

henn

Posted on November 10, 2023 by Hana Videen

henn, f.n: hen. (HEN / ˈhɛn)

Medieval manuscript image of four ordinary-looking red hens and a rooster. — Self-immolating hens of the Wonders of the East; England, mid 11th century; British Library, Cotton MS Tiberius B V/1, f. 79r. [bl.uk]

cealf

Posted on November 9, 2023 by Hana Videen

cealf, n.n: calf. (CHEH-alf / ˈtʃɛalf)

hind

Posted on November 8, 2023 by Hana Videen

hind, f.n: hind, female deer, perhaps the red deer specifically. (HIND / ˈhɪnd)

This week’s Wordhord Wednesday post is a Deorhord quiz. Test your medieval animal knowledge on Patreon.

ǣmette

Posted on November 7, 2023 by Hana Videen

ǣmette, f.n: ant. (AM-et-tuh / ˈæː-mɛt-tə)

Medieval manuscript image of ants walking in two straight lines as they bring grain back to their nest, each ant carrying one seed in its mouth; the ants are depicted with three segments and four legs, and their nest is three brown hills. — Aberdeen Bestiary; England, c. 1200; Aberdeen University Library, MS 24, f. 24v. [abdn.ac.uk]