Example of an archaic word

What are some examples of archaic words?

Archaic words that used to be common In Englishabroadout of doorsbeldaman old womanbethink oneself ofremember; recollectbetimesin good time; earlybibliopolea dealer in books230

What are archaic words?

Archaic words (or forms) are “commonly used in an earlier time but rare in present-day usage except to suggest the older time, as in religious rituals or historical novels.”

What are archaisms and write some examples?

An archaism is a word that is no longer in common usage, but is used for stylistic effect to mimic the sound of older language. For example, be that as it may contains an example of archaism in the rare usage of be, though the phrase itself is still popular.

What does archaism mean?

1 : the use of archaic diction or style. 2 : an instance of archaic usage.

What does flagrantly mean?

flagrant, glaring, gross, rank mean conspicuously bad or objectionable. flagrant applies usually to offenses or errors so bad that they can neither escape notice nor be condoned.

What does swarthy mean?

: of a dark color, complexion, or cast.

What does dunce mean?

: a slow-witted or stupid person.

Is dunce a bad word?

The word “dunce” at this point had long been applied as a derogatory term for people labeled as stupid or having done or said something moronic, with no connection to Duns or his work at all.

What is a dunce cap mean?

: a conical cap formerly used as a punishment for slow learners at school. — called also dunce’s cap.

What does the dunce hat mean in GTA 5?

Players who consistently drop from Jobs or perform other unsanctioned mayhem in GTA Online quickly find themselves labeled as Bad Sports. Bad Sports are ostracized from the greater GTA Online community. Some Bad Sports are reportedly forced to don Dunce Caps for easy identification.

Are dunce caps offensive?

The dunce cap may have gone out of style as a popular form of punishment, but as an icon it lives on. These days, calling someone a dunce continues to be an effective, if slightly archaic, insult. But there may be hope for the hat yet. Today John Dun Scotus is thought be one of the great thinkers of the Middle Ages.

Where did the term dunce come from?

The word dunce comes from a thirteenth century Scottish philosopher, John Duns Scotus, whose resistance to new ideas and mystical beliefs inspired opponents to equate his followers, the “Duns disciples,” to “dullards.” Later, some teachers made children wear pointed paper “dunce caps” when they misbehaved.

Is dunce a Scrabble word?

DUNCE is a valid scrabble word.

Who invented the dunce cap?

The origin of the dunce cap all begins with one man, John Duns Scotus. His incredible tri-part name, signaling his Scottish heritage (Scotus), and the village where he was born (Duns), is what would eventually lead to the very concept of a “dunce.”

Why do wizards wear hats?

The pointed hat (of witchcraft/wizardry) is a grotesque symbol of religious bigotry. Someone, posted it already but got shut down hard for some reason. But the witches hat is symbolizing the cone of power. A witch generally casts a circle for a spell and And the power collects to a point to release a spell.

Do wizards wear muggle clothes?

In short, the older generation is far more likely to wear more traditional wizarding clothes, while younger witches and wizards prefer muggle clothes (though they might not be particularly trendy or adventurous).

Who wears conical hats?

Existence of the conical hat is known as early as the Bronze Age in Middle East and Central Europe. One example is the golden hat worn by members of the priesthood, likely as a ceremonial accessory. In Ancient Greece, the pilos was a common conical traveling hat.

Архаизмы и устаревшие слова в английском языке

Любой язык постоянно развивается и меняется с течением времени. В нем появляются новые слова и образуются новые выражения. А старая лексика забывается, исчезает, утрачивает свое значение. Это происходит по разным причинам: слова могут выйти из употребления, так как они больше не соответствуют реальности или их вытеснили более современные и удобные синонимы. Так появляются историзмы, архаизмы и устаревшие слова.

Что такое архаизмы

Историзмы – это слова, которые полностью исчезли из современного языка. Они описывают предметы и явления, которые больше не существуют. К ним нельзя подобрать синонимы. Многие историзмы современным людям неизвестны, другие относятся к пассивному словарному запасу и знакомы из исторических книг или другой специальной литературы. Историзмы полностью вышли из активного использования в языке. Англоязычные лингвисты называют историзмы obsolete words. Это такие слова, как goblet – кубок, mace – булава, yeoman – йомен.

Архаизмы – это устаревшие слова, которые в современном языке имеют более актуальные синонимы. Они описывают обычные, не специфические предметы и явления, которые стали называть по-другому. В отличие от историзмов, архаизмы в некоторой степени сохраняются в активном лексическом запасе носителя языка. Они продолжают использоваться в отдельных сферах с определенными целями. Они стилистически маркированы – то есть их значение не нейтрально, а имеет окраску (например, возвышенную, формальную или ироническую). Как правило, архаизмы и историзмы имеют соответствующие пометки в словарях. По-английски архаизмы называются archaisms или archaic words.

Некоторые слова выходят из употребления и начинают приобретать старомодные оттенки значения, но их еще сложно отнести к архаизмам. Их могут активно использовать люди старшего возраста, они встречаются в художественной литературе предыдущих десятилетий. С точки зрения лингвистов это актуальные слова, но носители языка уже чувствуют, что они устаревают. С бытовой точки зрения их можно назвать устаревшими или старомодными, по-английски – outdated words.

Существуют также устаревшие слова, которые в английском языке известны как «ископаемые» – fossil words. Это архаизмы и историзмы, которые вышли из употребления в обычной речи, но сохранились в составе идиом. Сами идиомы широко используются, поэтому такие слова еще входят в словарный запас носителей языка. Например, архаичное слово ado все еще существует в английском языке благодаря выражению without further ado.

Устаревшими могут быть не только слова, но и грамматические формы слов. Например, в английском языке не сохранилась неправильная форма глагола to workwrought. Также в прошлом существовало окончание -t, которое использовалось во втором лице единственном числе: например, вместо you shall говорили you shalt. В третьем лице при этом использовалось окончание -eth. Сейчас такие формы тоже считаются архаизмами. Архаичными также являются формы прилагательных darksome вместо dark, beauteous вместо beautiful.

Зачем нужно знать архаизмы

Зачем изучающим английский язык нужны архаизмы и устаревшие слова, если они почти не используются или кажутся старомодными? Вопрос кажется закономерным, но мы рекомендуем обращать внимание на архаичную лексику. Это может показаться странным, но архаизмы могут быть более полезными, чем самые модные неологизмы, которые знакомы небольшому проценту носителей языка. Вот несколько причин знать английские архаичные слова:

  1. Чтобы читать англоязычную художественную литературу прошлых веков в оригинале. И сюда относится не только Шекспир, который писал несколько столетий назад и поэтому часто использовал архаизмы, но и Диккенс, Остин, Моэм, сестры Бронте и даже более современный Фаулз или Болдуин. Особенно важно знать архаизмы, если вы интересуетесь англоязычной поэзией. В художественной литературе вы можете встретить такие архаичные или устаревшие слова как whencewhere, thineyours, verdantgreen.
  2. Чтобы понимать официальный язык документов и изучать законы. Многие британские законы были написаны несколько столетий назад и с тех пор не менялись. Новые повторяли их язык. Современные юридические документы на английском языке продолжают по традиции использовать слова и выражения из старых законов. В юриспруденции архаизмы превратились в профессиональный жаргон. Если ваша работа связана с официальными документами, вам нужно знать такие слова как thereof, hereby, aforesaid.
  3. Чтобы слыть эрудированным человеком и уметь иронизировать. Иногда архаизмы и устаревшие обороты специально используются в современной речи. Образованные и эрудированные люди могут вставлять в предложения архаичные слова, чтобы с помощью их стилистической окраски добиться нужного эффекта. Например, они придают речи торжественный и возвышенный вид. Или, наоборот, это ироничный прием: если использовать устаревшее слово в современном контексте, это поможет разрядить обстановку.

Забавные историзмы и архаизмы, которые никто не поймет

  •         To grubble – искать вещь в кармане или ящике стола
  •         Quoth – говорить
  •         To jangle – сплетничать
  •         Famelicose – постоянно хотеть есть, быть голодным
  •         Woofits – похмелье
  •         Whilome – когда-то
  •         Methinks – мне кажется

Высокопарные архаизмы для торжественности

В поэзии, исторических новеллах и других художественных произведениях, а также для придания речи торжественности, в современном английском языке используют такие архаизмы как:

  •         Thou – ты
  •         Morn – утро
  •         Eve – канун
  •         Woe – горе
  •         Behold – узреть
  •         Billow – волна
  •         Pray – пожалуйста
  •         What say you? – что скажете?

Архаизмы из официальных документов

В современных юридических и других документах часто встречаются такие устаревшие слова и выражения как:

  •         Beg to inform – извещаем вас
  •         Therewith – с тем
  •         Aforesaid – вышеизложенный
  •         Hereby – этим

Устаревшие значения современных слов

Иногда устаревают не слова, а только их отдельные значения. Вот несколько примеров из английского языка:

  •         Hall в значении «дворец», «дом»
  •         Tale в значении «счет»
  •         Fair в значении «прекрасный» 
  •         Maid в значении «девушка»
  •         Pray в значении «пожалуйста»

Устаревшие слова и выражения, которые лучше не использовать

Некоторые слова устарели не так давно. Они еще встречаются в учебниках по английскому языку или в речи старшего поколения. Их лучше не использовать в современной речи, потому что они выглядят старомодно и нелепо. Вот несколько примеров с более современными синонимами:

  •         Pupil – student
  •         It goes without saying – obviously
  •         Television – TV
  •         How do you do – how is it going?
  •         Rather – kind of, fairly
  •         What a pity – too bad, I’m sorry

«Ископаемые» слова в английских идиомах

Так называемые fossil words используются только в составе пословиц, поговорок и фразеологизмов. Их значения понятны носителям языка, но отдельно они не встречаются. При этом сами идиомы вполне широко употребляются:

  •         Riddance in “good riddance” – избавляться, скатертью дорога
  •         Hither in “hither and thither” – сюда, туда и сюда
  •         Kith in “kith and kin” – друзья, друзья и семья
  •         Yore in “days of yore” – прошлое, былые дни

From Academic Kids

This is a list of archaic English words and their modern equivalents. These words and spellings are now considered archaic or obsolescent within the current status of the English language. Given both the rapidity of change in modern English and the number of versions used by nations and cultures, it should be borne in mind that dates are approximate and that the information here may not apply to all versions of English.

The evolution of the English language is characterised by four phases. The first period dates from approximately 450 to 1150 AD. At this time the language made use of full inflection, and is called Anglo-Saxon, or more exactly Old English. The second period dates from about 1150 to 1350 and is called Early English (or sometimes Old English again). During this time the majority of the inflections disappeared, and many Norman and French words joined the language because of the profound influence of the Anglo-Norman ruling class. The third period dates from about 1350 to 1550, and is known as Middle English. At this time the shape of the language began to coalesce and a relatively standard orthography emerged. The last period, from about 1550, is called Modern English.

The impact of dictionaries in the definition of obsolescent or archaic forms has caused the standardisation of spelling, hence many variant forms have been consigned to the dustbin of history.

It should be noted that often poets and writers of prose with a very strong feel for the language may on occasion deliberately choose to use archaisms to emphasise a certain point or to create a mood.

Archaisms in the English language

Original word Origin Meaning Example Comments
art from are present second-person singular form of the verb be. …Who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry? (Psalm 76:7) still used in Biblical/Shakespearian/poetical language
betwixt unknown between …He shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.(Song of Solomon 1:13) still used in Biblical/Shakespearian/poetical language
bilbo From Bilbao the best known place of manufacture an obscure and seldom used word for a short sword   Bilbo Baggins is a fictional character
bobbish unknown to be in good health   Used in 1860s
Bouncable unknown a swaggering boaster   Used in 1860s
Bridewell from the London prison of that name a prison   Used in 1860s
caddish from the noun cad wicked   the noun ‘cad’ is dying out
cag-mag unknown decaying meat   Used in 1860s
chalk scores unknown a reference to accounts of debt, recorded with chalk marks   Used in 1860s
coddleshell unknown codicil; a modification to one’s legal will   Used in 1860s
Coiner unknown a counterfeiter   Used in 1860s
costermonger coster comes from Costard, a type of cooking apple, monger means trader or seller a greengrocer, seller of fruit and vegetables   fishmonger, ironmonger and warmonger are among the surviving words ending in -monger
cove unknown a fellow or chap   Used in 1860s
dost from do present second-person singular form of the verb do I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me… (Job 30:20) Still used in Biblical, Shakespearian and poetical language.
doth from do present third-person singular form of the verb do The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue. (Proverbs 25:23) Still used in Biblical, Shakespearian and poetical language.
drab unknown a whore Finger of birth-strangled babe, ditch-delivered by a drab. (Shakespeare’s Macbeth)  
dream A part of the root stock of the OE vocabulary. joy   Under the influence of Old Norse speakers in England, the word dream changed its meaning from «joy, festivity, noisy merriment» to «a sleeping vision». Died out before the 13th century.
ducats A bullion coin (not legal tender) used in international trade money   Ducats were displaced by sovereigns throughout the British empire. the term is Used today only in slang. Ducats are still produced by the Austrian mint. Ducat, in Latin, means «he rules», «she rules», or «it rules».
-est unknown suffix used to form the present second-person singular of regular verbs When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble (Proverbs 4:12) Still used in Biblical, Shakespearian and poetical language.
-eth unknown suffix used to form the present third-person singular of regular verbs He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. (Psalm 23:2) Still used in Biblical, Shakespearian and poetical language.
fire a rick unknown to burn a stack of hay (rick), as a form of protest   Used in 1860s
Forsooth!   An exclamation of dismay, somewhat like «damn»   Used in Shakespeareian English
fluey From the flue of a chimney, normally coated with soot from log or coal fires dusty   Used in 1860s

Grinder unknown a tutor who prepares students for examinations   Used in 1860s
hast from have present second-person singular form of the verb have Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing… (Psalm 17:3) Compare to hast in German. still used in Biblical/Shakespearian/poetical language
hath from have present third-person singular form of the verb have This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24) still used in Biblical/Shakespearian/poetical language
hither here English accusative case form
ivory tablets unknown paper for notetaking   Used in 1860s
kine Middle English kyen, a plural of the Old English cy, plural of cu, «cow» cows   Used until late 1800s; still in Biblical use; Spenser used the form kyne

mote unknown may, might   NB. It may be argued that it is not technically defunct since the word is still used in freemasonry and wicca as part of certain rituals.

over the broomstick unknown to be married in a folk ceremony and not recognized by the law. Still commonly used as part of the ceremony in modern Pagan weddings by Wiccans, Witches and other alternative spiritualities. «Then if somebody been wantin’ to marry they step over the broom and it be nounced they married» (Slave Narratives Betty Curlett of Hazen, Arkansas) Used in 1860s, «over the brush» still used in British English Cf jumping the broomstick

quantum unknown money to pay a bill   Used in 1860s. Still used in this sense in some legal terminology.
rantipole unknown to behave in a romping or rude manner   Used in 1860s
read with unknown to tutor   Used in 1860s, still used in Caribbean English
shake-down unknown a bed   Used in 1860s, also a modern slang term dealing with law enforcement
shalt from shall used to form the future tense of verbs Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. (Psalm 2:9) still used in Biblical/Shakespearian/poetical language
shew unknown Variant of show. ‘To shew Louisa, how alike in their creeds, her father and Harthouse are?’ — (Dickens’ notes on Hard Times). Used in the 19th century
stand high unknown to have a good reputation   Used in 1860s
thee, thou from Old English þú old 2nd person singular pronoun Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. (Psalm 118:28) «Thee» is used when it is the grammatical object, «thou» when it is the subject. Still used in Biblical/Shakespearian/poetical language.
Also still used in northern dialects of British English eg Yorkshire.
thither there English accusative case form of indicative pronoun there
thole from Old English þolian to bear; put up with; suffer A man with a good crop can thole some thistles (Scots Proverb) Still used in northern and Scottish dialects of British English eg Yorkshire.

unto to, onto, upon And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? (Genesis 3:9) Mainly used in Early Modern English
wert from be imperfect second-person singular form of the verb be If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. (Job 8:6) still used in Biblical/Shakespearian/poetical language
whence unknown where (origin) whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go?… (Genesis 16:8) Compare to woher in German. still used in Biblical/Shakespearian/poetical language
whitesmith from blacksmith, a iron worker a tinsmith   Used in 1860s
whither unknown where (destination) …whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go?… (Genesis 16:8) Compare to wohin in German. still used in Biblical/Shakespearian/poetical language
whitlow unknown a sore or swelling in a finger or thumb   Used in 1860s, still used in British English
wilt from will used to form the future tense of verbs …whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go?… (Genesis 16:8) still used in Biblical/Shakespearian/poetical language
wittles from «victuals» food You bring me, to-morrow morning early, that file and them wittles. (Great Expectations, Charles Dickens) Used in 1860s, vittles still used in British and American English
zounds corrupted form of «Christ’s wounds» expletive   still used occasionally in British English

The word-stock of a language
is in the state of constant change. Words change their meanings, and
sometimes drop out of the language. New words spring up and replace
the old ones. Some words stay in the language for a long time and do
not lose their faculty of gaining new meanings, others live but a
short time to disappear without any trace of their existence.

There are 3 stages in the
aging process of words:

1. Words in the stage of
gradually passing out of general use are called obsolescent. Here
belong — morphological forms belonging to the earlier stages in the
development of the language:

e.g.
pronouns
thou, thee, thy, thine
,
ye

verb
forms art,
wilt (thou makest, thou wilt)

verbal
endings:
-est

ending
(e)th
(instead of –(e)s)
he maketh

French borrowings kept in the
language as a means of preserving the spirit of earlier periods:

garniture = furniture

to emplume = to adorn with
feathers or plumes

2. The second group of archaic
words that have already gone completely out of use but are still
recognized by the English –speaking community are called obsolete:

e.g.
methinks = it seems to me

nay (= no)

3. The third group, which may
be called archaic proper, are words which are no longer recognizable
in modern English:

e.g.
troth=faith

losel –a
worthless, lazy fellow

In the chart, the small
circles denoting archaic and poetic words overlap and extend beyond
the large circle of “special literary vocabulary”. This means
that some of the words in these layers do not belong to the
present-day English vocabulary.

There is
still another class of words, which are classified as archaic i.e.
historical words. By-gone periods in the life of any society are
marked by historical events, by institutions, customs, material
objects which are no longer in use, for example:

baldric

перевязь
для меча, рога

yeoman
йомен (мелкий землевладелец)

mace
— булава,
жезл

goblet
— бокал,
кубок

Words of
this type never disappear from the language; they remain terms
referring to things and phenomena no longer existing. Historical
words have no synonyms, whereas archaic words have been replaced by
modern synonyms.

Archaic
words are predominantly used in the creation of a realistic
background in historical novels. (Cf.: in scientific style — e.g. an
essay on the history of Scandinavian invasions- they will bear no
stylistic function). In official style the use of archaic words is
terminological in character. Obsolescent elements of the English
vocabulary are also preserved in the style of official documents:

aforesaid

вышеупомянутый,
вышеприведённый

hereby
-им,
этим, настоящим (юр.)

therewith
сим , этим,
к тому же, тотчас, немедленно

hereinafter

ниже, в
дальнейшем

In poetry
archaic and obsolete words are also used as special terms.

Archaic words and particularly
archaic forms of words are sometimes used for satirical purposes.
Archaic words, word-forms and word-combinations are also used to
create an elevated effect.

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Published October 25, 2019

Frankenstein’s monster, zombies, and Jason? There’s something fascinating and horrifying about things coming back from the dead. It’s spooky and weird and—admit it—kind of awesome.

We don’t have any reanimated monsters here at Dictionary.com. But, we do have plenty of words in our linguistic graveyard. We can’t help but be captivated by these old, “dead” words. These are properly called archaisms or archaic words. Archaic words (or forms) are “commonly used in an earlier time but rare in present-day usage except to suggest the older time, as in religious rituals or historical novels.”

We’ve decided to brush off our spell books, heat up old cauldrons, and try to bring some of these ghosts back to life. Hopefully, we have some eye of newt and toe of frog left in our stores …

armipotent

Armipotent is an archaic adjective meaning “strong in battle.” Basically, it refers to someone who is physically tough in war. Originally, it was used to refer to the Roman god of war, Mars. The Roman gods aren’t so much in vogue anymore, but we do have legendary video game fighters, e.g., The armipotent Pikachu would not be defeated by the lowly Magikarp.

bawcock

The word bawcock is a charming, archaic noun that meant “a fine fellow,” colloquially. It comes from the French beau coq, meaning “handsome rooster.” At any rate, bawcock meant something like “a good dude” in 16th-century English when it was first recorded. You might say, for example, “Ted Mosby from How I Met Your Mother is a bawcock with a heart of gold.”

bookcraft

Bookcraft means just what it sounds like. It is a noun referring to literary or writing skills. It can also refer to being good at book learnin’. Today, you could use it to refer to an author whose books you love and admire, as in, “J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series demonstrates that she has tremendous bookcraft.”

brainish

Brainish sounds like it could be an old-fashioned version of brainy. But, actually, it’s an archaic adjective that means “headstrong, impetuous, passionate.”Brainish could be a modern-day word for how we all act on social media sometimes. Think: “When I saw what he was saying about dogs, it made me so brainish I sent off a tweetstorm about how absolutely perfect the noble canine is.”

caliginous

It was a caliginous and stormy night … Sure, that doesn’t quite have the same ring as “dark and stormy,” but it works. Caliginous is an archaic adjective meaning “misty, dim, dark.”

Give it a whirl next time you’re writing a scary story. Looking at you, Snoopy.

clodpoll

If someone calls you a clodpoll, you should be offended. It’s an archaic noun that means “a stupid person, a blockhead.” Rude. Though it’s a fun way to put someone down, like so: “That post is so ignorant it seems like it was written by a clodpoll.” (Shout out to Billy Shakespeare for inspiring that shade.)

concupiscible

Concupiscible is a word meaning “worthy of being desired” or worthy of being lusted after. This archaic adjective can also refer to passionately desiring something. It does make one think of bodice rippers or possibly … literotica. Or, you know, of Channing Tatum with his shirt off in Magic Mike, which we would definitely describe as concupiscible.

daggle

The archaic verb daggle will remind you of the collective noun gaggle, but it doesn’t have anything to do with geese. Daggle means “to drag or trail through mud, water, etc.”

It makes us think of those YouTube videos of golden retrievers joyously leaping through mud puddles, daggling their tails in the muck. While we love watching those videos, we’re happy we don’t have to clean up after those wet pooches later.

dispiteous

Dispiteous isn’t something you should aspire to be. It is an archaic adjective meaning “malicious; cruel; pitiless.” It refers to someone, or something, without pity. As in, “Internet trolls are dispiteous about ticking people off.”

elsewhither

Where are we off to? Anywhere but here, or, in other words, elsewhither. The archaic adverb elsewhither means “in another direction; toward a different place or goal.” The direction isn’t specified, kind of like “elsewhere.” For instance, “We had to look elsewhither for pumpkin spice lattes because our local Starbucks was sold out.” Rough.

eyesome

Back in the day, you might have described someone easy on the eyes as eyesome. Eyesome is an archaic adjective meaning “pleasant to look at.” It can be used to refer to people, beautiful scenery, or other lovely sights. In other words, travel blogger Angelica Blick’s Instagram is eyesome, both in terms of the fashionista herself and the sights worldwide she photographs.

glout

No, not gloatglout. Glout is an archaic verb meaning “to scowl or frown.” It can also mean “to look sullen.” Essentially, it describes someone who is ticked off and making it known with their countenance. As in, “The tween glouted when his mom told him to turn off Fortnite and come to dinner.” (“But Mom! Just five more minutes!”)

hagride

A hagride sounds like an Uber full of witches on their way to a spell convention. But, it’s actually an archaic transitive verb that means “to afflict with worry, dread, need, or the like; torment.”

It apparently originally referred to a witch’s well-known penchant for riding brooms, as in “they hagrode over the farmhouse.” Later, it came to mean anything that weighs on you and causes you psychic pain. For example, “The new changes to the Facebook timeline are hagriding me.” (Yeah, why can’t it just be chronological?)

hellkite

The devil is known for having many hobbies: guitar playing, getting people to eat apples they shouldn’t, and making Mia Farrow’s life difficult. But one you may not know about is flying kites. OK, that’s not what hellkite means, but it’s not far off. It’s an archaic noun that means “a fiendishly cruel and wicked person” (a kite is a bird of prey).

Now that we’re bringing hellkite back, look for it to be used in the next Nicki Minaj beef, as in, “The way Cardi B talks smack on her tracks makes her a total hellkite.

joyance

Joyance is a word that just makes us happy because it means “joyous feeling; gladness.” It’s a largely poetic term, said to be coined by Edmund Spenser, famous for his epic poem The Faerie Queene. It fell out of fashion for a while before being taken up again by Romantic poets like Coleridge. It brings us much joyance to share this charming word with you.

lickspittle

We can’t help but think that they just had better insults back in the day. Bedswerver, dew-beater, scobberlotcher, and … lickspittle. Lickspittle is a noun for “a contemptible, fawning person; a servile flatterer or toady.” Essentially, lickspittle refers to someone who loves sucking up to people in power. For instance, “Jeremy is the boss’s lickspittle; he’s always doing whatever she wants to get in her good graces.”

makebate

Someone who is always stirring up problems is a makebate. This archaic noun means “a person who causes contention or discord.” What we might call a troublemaker (among stronger alternatives). In other words, “Those 4Chan trolls with their QAnon conspiracy theories are the makebates of the modern United States.”

niddering

As bad as it would be to be called a lickspittle, it would be even worse to be known as niddering. Niddering is an archaic noun for “a coward.” It later also came to be used as an adjective meaning “base, cowardly, vile.” Someone who is afraid to act courageously is niddering, like, “You’re a niddering for subtweeting me.”

orgulous

Orgulous, from the French orgueil meaning “pride,” is an archaic adjective that means “haughty, proud.” While “haughty” might make you think this word is pejorative, it was largely used approvingly back in the day, usually to describe royalty. In that spirit, how’s this for an example? “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex looked happy and orgulous when they first appeared in public with baby Archie.”

quotha

Quotha is an excellent example of archaic sarcasm. It was used as an interjection, sort of like “Indeed!”, although it came from an early way of saying, “Said he?” You would say it to emphasize how ridiculous a word someone said is, after repeating it yourself. Like this:

A: Dad thinks you’re spending too extravagantly on Halloween decorations.

B: Extravagantly? Extravagantly, quotha? I didn’t even spring for the fake cobwebs!

methinks

Shout out to a reader who suggested this next, wonderful archaic term: methinks. It’s an old-fashioned way of saying “it seems to me.” If you’ve heard it before, it’s probably in the line from Hamlet by William Shakespeare: “the lady doth protest too much, methinks” (often misquoted with the methinks at the beginning of the sentence).

Today, methinks has a slightly arch connotation, probably as a result of the way it was used by ole Billy. Methinks he wouldn’t object too much to that.

eyen

Our next term was also suggested by a reader, for which we are grateful. Eyen is an archaic formulation of the plural of eye. This kind of plural formulation comes from Old English, and we still have a few examples of it left in modern English. Think: oxen (plural of “ox”) and children (plural of “child”).

Today, eyen is most often associated with Shakespeare, but we can bring it back: “Your eyen are so beautiful, like fragments of stars on a summer evening.” Or something.

meed

What if the next time you do a job, instead of a paycheck you get a meed? Before you act disappointed, be assured that meed amounts to the same thing.Meed is an archaic noun meaning “a reward or recompense.”  In other words, it’s a nice thing to have. It was also used as a verb to describe rewarding someone for an action. While back in the day it was used to describe the repayment for acts of valor like those of Beowulf, today we can use it on a less grand scale: “We should get a meed for blocking all those bots on Twitter.”

mickle

Mickle is an archaic adjective and verb. As an adjective, it meant “great; large; much.” It was used to refer to something large in size or stature, like a mickle oak tree, or a large amount or degree of something, like a mickle of stars. Today, we might say: “That Instagram influencer has a mickle of followers.”

mome

In addition to lickspittle and clodpoll, another great archaic insult is mome. Mome meant “a fool; blockhead.”

While you might think this is what Lewis Carroll had in mind in his famous poem The Jabberwocky (“All mimsy were the borogoves; And the mome raths outgrabe,”), that doesn’t seem to be the case. It’s not clear where the word came from. It was particularly used to refer to someone who was a buffoon. So, the next time your friend is acting foolish, you can say to them, “Quit messing around and being such a mome.”

mundungus

J.K. Rowling is known for creatively naming her characters in the Harry Potter universe. Thus, it’s no surprise that there’s a dodgy criminal named Mundungus Fletcher. Mundungus is an archaic noun referring to malodorous (read: smelly) refuse or tobacco.

Makes sense now that Mundungus Fletcher’s nickname is “Dung,” right? To impress your chain-smoking buddies with your lexical knowledge when they light up next to you say, “Please take that mundungus elsewhere (or elsewhither)!”

somedeal

Somedeal sounds like something you’d hope to get on Deal or No Deal. But, actually, somedeal is an archaic adverb or noun meaning “somewhat.” It comes from the Old English for “some portion [of something].” For instance, you have to have somedeal of confidence to post all those videos on TikTok of your terrible dancing.

everyhow

If the expression “every which way” isn’t doing it for you anymore, why not adopt the archaic adverb everyhow instead? Everyhow is an archaic adverb meaning “in all ways; in every manner.” Take, for example, “We tried everyhow to get the perfect Halloween costume, but, in the end, we decided to wear sheets and say we were ghosts.”

hungerly

If you haven’t eaten all day, you might appear hungerly, or “marked by a hungry look.” We all know that feel when we miss our afternoon snack. We also know that look, like when our cat tries to look hungerly in order to trick us into giving it extra treats. Nice try, cat, but we’re on to you.

overween

There’s nothing positive about overween, an archaic verb meaning “to be conceited or arrogant.” Basically, it refers to having an overly high opinion of oneself or being overconfident (and largely survives in the verbal adjective overweening). When Milton writes, “Is there cause why these Men should overwean?,” we resoundingly answer, “No.”

A more modern example of that would be: “Is there a reason my ex should overween and slide into my DMs like we would ever get back together?” And, again, our answer to that question is, “No.” Exes, take note.

ventose

Have you ever heard that someone’s a “windbag” or a “blowhard”? It means that they love to talk absolute nonsense (or simply just talk … and talk … and talk … ). Well, people in olden times had a word for that, too: ventose. From the Latin ventosus, meaning “windy,” ventose is an archaic noun that meant “given to empty talk; windy; flatulent.” To bring this old adjective into the 21st century, try using it in a sentence like this: “The ventose YouTuber has hours-long videos that make absolutely no point whatsoever.”

To help us bring these archaic terms back to life, practice using them yourself. They’re surprisingly relevant today, hundreds of years after they were created. And not at all scary once you get to know them.

Archaisms

A archaism It is a word or type of expression that was used frequently in ancient times and that has resurfaced as a current mode of expression. For example: dock, bloody, conceited.

Archaisms are often used to embellish texts, although their abuse is not recommended as they can make understanding difficult.

It can serve you:

Types of archaisms

There are two types of archaisms:

Examples of archaisms

  1. Groping (in the dark)
  2. Bulge (to mess up, mess up)
  3. Aberruntar (predict)
  4. Grim (surly)
  5. Agora (now)
  6. Aguaitar (watch)
  7. I await (expect)
  8. Cupboard (place or cupboard where kitchen utensils are kept)
  9. Swimming pool (pool)
  10. Albuznaque (uneducated, brute person)
  11. Light up (light)
  12. Feint (to make threats)
  13. Tangle (tangle)
  14. Amulate (to get angry or upset)
  15. Glasses (lenses or glasses)
  16. The day before yesterday (the day before yesterday)
  17. Aquesto (this)
  18. Roast (liver and slaps)
  19. Asaz (Quite)
  20. Rob (to kiss between two lovers)
  21. Winnow (throw something)
  22. Hell (winter)
  23. Bucket (wide container with two handles to transfer liquids)
  24. Baltra (belly, belly or belly)
  25. Bilba (beret or cap)
  26. Bolindre (marble)
  27. Cabás (briefcase)
  28. Oil lamp (object that lights up with oil)
  29. Castrate (castrate)
  30. Saucepans (pans)
  31. Singe (smoke)
  32. Fluke (lucky)
  33. Cinch (strap )
  34. Cover (blanket)
  35. Buy (buyer)
  36. Advice (story)
  37. Invite (invite)
  38. Quasi (almost)
  39. Dilate (to delay or delay)
  40. Say (supposedly)
  41. Where do you tell him, I won’t talk to you anymore (when you tell him, I won’t talk to you anymore)
  42. However (but)
  43. Flail (slim down)
  44. Enter us both (both of them)
  45. Scavenge (sniff)
  46. Spoular (skin)
  47. Farina (flour)
  48. Fato (clothing used for something specific)
  49. Fidalgo (gentleman)
  50. iron (iron)
  51. Permanent (child)
  52. Stove (place where the fire is prepared)
  53. Dirty (pig)
  54. Sluggard (vague)
  55. Harbar (to do something without thinking, in a rush)
  56. Hortal (vegetable patch)
  57. Lightweight (light)
  58. Apron (apron)
  59. Manguer (despite)
  60. Tangle (trap)
  61. Very night (very night)
  62. Orage (environmental temperature)
  63. Air (to dry or air)
  64. Osculus (kiss)
  65. Stop (stand)
  66. Talk (to converse)
  67. Tight (dark)
  68. Bloody (Bad person)
  69. To scrape (run away)
  70. Receive (graduate)
  71. Slit (opening in the wall)
  72. Soup (slap)
  73. Table (wood in the shape of waves to wash clothes)
  74. Face mask (scarf)
  75. Taboos (lies)
  76. Truje (costume)
  77. Spanking (beating)
  78. Veto (weaning from the offspring of a certain animal)
  79. Evening (night function)
  80. Vide (see)
  81. Yantar (eat)
  82. Dunce (clumsy person)

Follow with:

Americanisms Gallicisms Latinisms
Anglicisms Germanisms Lusisms
Arabisms Hellenisms Mexicanisms
Archaisms Indigenisms Quechuismos
Barbarism Italianisms Vasquismos

In language, Archaism is a word, a sense of a word, or a style of speech or writing that is historically longer than living memory, but that has survived for a few.

Archaism is an old word or expression that is no longer used with its original meaning or is only used in certain subjects or places. The word archaism is derived from the Greek word archaïkós meaning “ancient.”

Another explanation is: Archaism is a term that is no longer commonly used, but is used as a result of style to mimic the sounds of an old language. One of the most common antiquities in English is “you” or “you,” which is used only in certain contexts (such as “By this ring I marry you”). Archaisms can also occur in the development of a less-used system.

Examples of Archaic Words

Let us now work on Archaism Words translated / explained in English:

Word Meaning
`belike with considerable certainty; without much doubt
cap-a-pie at all points from head to foot
cozen be dishonest with
fain having made preparations
fardel a burden
fool a person who lacks good judgment
forsooth an archaic word originally meaning `in truth’ but now usually used to express disbelief
gaoler someone who guards prisoners
haply by accident
hautboy a slender double-reed instrument
hautbois a slender double-reed instrument
hugger mugger act stealthily or secretively
incarnadine redden or make pinkish
liege city in eastern Belgium
marry become someone’s spouse
meed a fitting reward
soft yielding readily to pressure or weight
sooth truth or reality
verily in truth; certainly
welkin the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected
withal together with this
wonted commonly used or practiced; usual

Keep exploring EnglishBix to find resources related to English language learning.

alphabet soup -- writing skillsThink of archaisms (or archaic words) in English as forgotten friends. Language has its fashions. Generations of people use a word, and then for some reason, everyone stops.

You can find some of them in a dictionary. They will likely be labeled “archaic” or “obsolete.” You’d have to look in an unabridged dictionary, or even the OED to find others.

We’ll run across archaisms sometimes when we read older works. That’s why it’s important to know what they mean. And it would be nice if we could start using some of them again.

Gallimaufry

Many lists of obsolete or archaic words I have seen include gallimaufry. And why not? It means a hash made with leftovers, or more generally, a hodgepodge. It perfectly describes lists of obsolete or archaic words, doesn’t it?

Wouldn’t “A Gallimaufry of Archaisms” be a great title for a post? Except hardly anyone would know what it means.

Welkin

Welkin means sky or heaven. Or it did when anyone still used it. Are you familiar with this Christmas poem by Charles Wesley?

“Hark how all the welkin rings glory to the king of kings.”

Probably not. His friend George Whitfield included it in a collection of hymn texts. But he changed the opening to “Hark the herald angels sing glory to the newborn king.”

Wesley was livid. Where in the Bible does it ever say that angels sing? Whitfield replied that theological precision didn’t matter if it required a word only an Oxford scholar like Wesley would understand. People in Shakespeare’s time understood welkin. People in Wesley’s time not so much.

Wesley wrote his poem in 1739. Whitfield published his variant in 1744. And that’s why “welkin” is considered an archaism. It passed out of common use before 1755. If it had passed out of common use after 1755, dictionaries would label it obsolete instead of archaic. Clear?

Pestilence

We used to call an outbreak of plague or other lethal disease pestilences. You can see the word “pest” as its stem. Pest especially refers to rats, mosquitos, and other disease carriers.

It’s one of those Latin words that bring with it a wealth of other forms. So the adjectives pestiferous or pestilential characterize the associated noun as physically or morally deadly.

Why have we stopped using pestilence so much anymore? Maybe it’s because we don’t like long words as much as we used to. So we use pandemic instead. (Hmmm.)

And what adjectives does pandemic allow? I don’t recall seeing viruses numbered among pandemical agents. At least my spell checker isn’t warning me about it. But I guess it’s too late to suggest going back to pestilence.

Slubberdegullion

Our current pestilence has required many of us to quarantine, or at least shelter in place. (Although quarantine really means 40 days, not 14.)

Cut off from all our favorite activities, it’s easy just to lie around and do nothing. Not even shave or get dressed.

Four hundred years ago, a slovenly person, without the excuse of a pestilence, would have been called a slubberdegullion.

My spell checker recognizes most of the other words I’m using. Not this one. But doesn’t it just sound exactly like the kind of person it describes?

Aliment

Thomas Jefferson had an unusual diet for his time. He wrote, “I have lived temperately, eating little animal food, & that, not as an aliment so much as a condiment for the vegetables, which constitute my principal diet.”

In modern English, he said that he didn’t eat much meat. He only used it as a flavoring for his veggies.

We still use “condiment,” but somehow “aliment” joined the league of archaisms.

Apricity

Winter sun (apricity) archaismsSuch a pretty sounding word! Apricity has a very specific meaning: the warmth of the sun on a winter day.

Winter is usually cold and cloudy. When the sun shines in the winter and makes us feel warm, what can we call it now? It’s too bad we abandoned such a useful and beautiful word. But it happened long ago.

Methinks it’s technically an archaic word, not obsolete.

Contumely

Contumely, on the other hand, is an ugly word that describes ugly behavior. It means rudeness or contempt towards others.

Think of the civility of discourse on social media. Or lack thereof. We have plenty of contumely these days. It’s hard to stay away from it. We just don’t call it contumely anymore.

Demoralize

Not all archaisms are words we don’t use anymore. Some current words have archaic or obsolete meanings.

We still use demoralize when something undermines confidence or morale. We just don’t use it for something that corrupts morals. Maybe that’s because expressing any preference for uncorrupted morals invites contumely.

Behoof

Years ago, I got to work and found a note on my desk from my boss. She wrote, “From your list of dealers that you deal with, it would behoove you to . . . ”

I marveled that she wrote so many unnecessary words. She could have started with whatever verb came next. I also marveled because I had seen “behoove” in old writings, but here was something only hours old. Does anyone actually use “behoove” these days? Surely not very frequently.

So I came across “behoof” when I was looking for archaic words to write about. I don’t ever remember seeing it anywhere, but I sort of knew what it meant from the verb form.

My dictionary says benefit or advantage. It’s the kind of word that, when anyone uses it at all anymore, it’s for humorous effect.

Lief

Usually, when I make a bad pun, people just groan. Once, a fellow glared at me and said, “You’re barking up the wrong tree trying to get to the root of the problem. But when you go out on a limb, you make an ash of yourself. [short, dramatic pause] And I’d as lief you wouldn’t.”

I had to look it up, but he ended with a real phrase. He didn’t substitute “leaf” for “leave” as he substituted “ash” for “ass.” Not that “as leave” would ever mean anything.

My spell checker has corrected “lief” to “life” twice now. “Lief” appears to be related to German or Dutch for love. The phrase “as lief” means willingly, gladly, or in some cases, preferably. Or it used to before it joined the legion of archaic words.

Do you have any favorite archaisms to share?


Asked by: Mr. Rex Ritchie Sr.

Score: 4.1/5
(27 votes)

An archaism is an archaic word or spelling. In other words, archaisms are words that have gone out of use in modern language. … Archaisms are also seen in idioms and proverbs, which can «preserve» them. For example: She doth protest too much.

What do you mean by archaism?

1 : the use of archaic diction or style. 2 : an instance of archaic usage. 3 : something archaic especially : something (such as a practice or custom) that is outmoded or old-fashioned.

What is an example of archaic?

-ĭ-kəl. The definition of archaic is something being old or from a previous time period. An example of something archaic is a rotary phone. adjective.

What is archaism as a literary device?

Archaism is the derivative of the Greek word archaïkós, which means “beginning,” or “ancient.” It is a figure of speech in which a used phrase or word is considered very old fashioned and outdated. … Archaism is the use of writing or speech that is now rarely used; the use of older versions of language and art.

What is archaism in figure of speech?

An archaism is a figure of speech in which a writer’s choice of word or phrase is purposefully old fashioned. Whether it’s a word, sentence, style of diction, or syntax, these examples all sound out of date.

15 related questions found

What are examples of oxymorons?

10 Examples of Common Oxymorons

  • “Small crowd”
  • “Old news”
  • “Open secret”
  • “Living dead”
  • “Deafening silence”
  • “Only choice”
  • “Pretty ugly”
  • “Awfully good”

What is an example of Asyndeton?

Asyndeton is a writing style where conjunctions are omitted in a series of words, phrases or clauses. It is used to shorten a sentence and focus on its meaning. For example, Julius Caesar leaving out the word «and» between the sentences «I came. I saw. I conquered» asserts the strength of his victory.

What are some examples of neologism?

«Webinar,» «malware,» «netroots,» and «blogosphere» are just a few examples of modern-day neologisms that have been integrated into American English. The word neologism was itself a brand-new coinage at the beginning of the 19th century, when English speakers first borrowed it from the French nèologisme.

What is literary devices in a story?

Literary devices are specific techniques that allow a writer to convey a deeper meaning that goes beyond what’s on the page. Literary devices work alongside plot and characters to elevate a story and prompt reflection on life, society, and what it means to be human.

What are examples of cliche?

Common Examples of Cliché

  • Let’s touch base.
  • The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
  • Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.
  • I’m like a kid in a candy store.
  • I lost track of time.
  • Roses are red, violets are blue…
  • Time heals all wounds.
  • We’re not laughing at you, we’re laughing with you.

What words are no longer used?

Here are seven words I think we should start using again immediately.

  • Facetious. Pronounced “fah-see-shuss”, this word describes when someone doesn’t take a situation seriously, which ironically is very serious indeed. …
  • Henceforth. …
  • Ostentatious. …
  • Morrow. …
  • Crapulous. …
  • Kerfuffle. …
  • Obsequious.

What old world means?

Old World. noun. that part of the world that was known before the discovery of the Americas, comprising Europe, Asia, and Africa; the eastern hemisphere.

What means arbitrable?

: subject to decision by arbitration.

What are old words called?

In language, an archaism (from the Ancient Greek: ἀρχαϊκός, archaïkós, ‘old-fashioned, antiquated’, ultimately ἀρχαῖος, archaîos, ‘from the beginning, ancient’) is a word, a sense of a word, or a style of speech or writing that belongs to a historical epoch long beyond living memory, but that has survived in a few …

Is Archaicness a word?

The quality of being archaic.

Does thou mean your?

They are all second person singular pronouns. “Thou” and “thee” are subject and object pronouns respectively and both mean “you”. “Thy” is possessive and means “your”. There is also the possessive pronoun “thine”, which means “yours”.

What are the 7 literary elements?

A literary element refers to components of a literary work (character, setting, plot, theme, frame, exposition, ending/denouement, motif, titling, narrative point-‐of-‐view). These are technical terms for the “what” of a work.

What are the 20 poetic devices?

20 Top Poetic Devices to Remember

  • Allegory. An allegory is a story, poem, or other written work that can be interpreted to have a secondary meaning. …
  • Alliteration. Alliteration is the repetition of a sound or letter at the beginning of multiple words in a series. …
  • Apostrophe. …
  • Assonance. …
  • Blank Verse. …
  • Consonance. …
  • Enjambment. …
  • Meter.

How do you identify a literary device in a story?

How to Identify Literary Devices

  1. Review the forms of figurative language, such as metaphors, similes and personification. …
  2. Identify the setting in literature. …
  3. Explore themes. …
  4. Recognize allegory. …
  5. Watch for alliteration.

Is the example of coining?

The word can be used in a broader sense — creating something new, usually something related to language. For example, you could coin a phrase or a new word for “joke.” The language authorities would be proud — unlike federal authorities if you tried to coin money. That kind of coining is a criminal offense.

What is it called when you make up words?

Neologisms are often formed by combining existing words (see compound noun and adjective) or by giving words new and unique suffixes or prefixes.

Is aspirin a neologism?

Brand names or Words that were created especially for advertising and PR campaigns that are now used generically. These are sometimes also referred to as generonyms (a neologism in itself): Aspirin.

What is an example of Epanalepsis?

Epanalepsis (eh-puh-nuh-LEAP-siss): Figure of emphasis in which the same word or words both begin(s) and end(s) a phrase, clause, or sentence; beginning and ending a phrase or clause with the same word or words. Example: «Nothing is worse than doing nothing.«

What is an example of chiasmus?

What is chiasmus? … Chiasmus is a figure of speech in which the grammar of one phrase is inverted in the following phrase, such that two key concepts from the original phrase reappear in the second phrase in inverted order. The sentence «She has all my love; my heart belongs to her,» is an example of chiasmus.

What is the example of Litotes?

Litotes is a figure of speech and a form of understatement in which a sentiment is expressed ironically by negating its contrary. For example, saying «It’s not the best weather today» during a hurricane would be an example of litotes, implying through ironic understatement that the weather is, in fact, horrible.

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