20 Forgotten Anglo-Saxon Terms Worth Reviving

The language spoken by the Anglo-Saxons, referred to as Old English, bears little resemblance to the English we use today. Over a millennium ago, English was written with archaic characters such as þ (thorn), ƿ (wynn), and ð (eth or thæt). Its phonology and grammar were vastly different, relying on intricate word endings and inflections rather than the consistent word order we recognize now.

Old English was also home to a wealth of creative and fascinating words, many of which have either vanished over time or were supplanted by continental terms following the Norman Conquest. These words would be nearly incomprehensible to modern speakers, which is unfortunate given the remarkable inventiveness of the Old English lexicon. Below, we explore the origins and meanings of 20 extraordinary, long-lost Anglo-Saxon terms.

1. Attercoppe

Originally documented in an 11th-century medical text, attercoppe was the Old English term for a spider, translating to “poison head.” This word persisted in English until the 17th century and is now only found as attercop or attercap in certain British English dialects.

2. Breóst-hord

Breóst-hord translates to “breast-treasure” and was used in Old English texts to describe what we now consider the heart, mind, or soul—essentially, the inner emotions and thoughts of a person.

3. Candeltreow

In Old English, a single candlestick was called a candelstæf, while a multi-branched candlestick or candelabra was known as a candeltreow, meaning “candle-tree.”

4. Cumfeorm

In Old English, cuma (a “comer”) referred to a guest, visitor, or stranger, while feorm denoted food or provisions for travel. Cumfeorm, therefore, translates to “stranger-supplies,” symbolizing hospitality or the act of hosting guests.

5. Ealdor-bana

Ealdor or aldor, related to the modern term elder, was used in Old English to describe an ancestor, superior, or life itself. A bana referred to a killer, destroyer, or a weapon used to cause death. Thus, an ealdor-bana, meaning “life-destroyer,” denoted a murderer or something with deadly consequences.

6. Earsling

Contrary to what it might sound like, earsling isn’t related to ear bandages. Instead, it combines the Old English term for arse, ears or ærs, with the suffix –ling, akin to –long in words like livelong, headlong, and endlong. It essentially means “toward your rear” or, more plainly, backwards. Similar to attercop, arseling persists in certain English dialects.

7. Eaxl-gestealla

Eaxle in Old English referred to the shoulder, armpit (sometimes still called the “oxter”), or the humerus bone. An eaxl-gestealle translates to “shoulder-friend,” symbolizing a closest and most trusted companion.

8. Eorþæppla

In Old English, cucumbers were known as “earth-apples”—eorþæppla.

9. Frumbyrdling

Among words that deserve a comeback, frumbyrdling stands out: it’s an 11th-century term for a young boy sprouting his first beard.

10. Gesibsumnes

Gesibsumnes (with the ge– pronounced similarly to “yeah”) roughly translates to “collective peacefulness.” It described the sense of camaraderie, friendship, or closeness shared among siblings or family members.

11. Gléo-dreám

In Old English, dreám signified “joy” or “pleasure” (not “dream,” which was swefen). Gléo-dreám, meaning “glee-joy,” specifically described the delight derived from listening to music. The sound of a musical instrument was occasionally termed orgel-dreám (literally “pride-pleasure”), while the skill of playing an instrument was called dreámcræft.

12. Hleahtor-smiþ

A “laughter-smith” is someone who brings joy through humor.

13. Hleów-feðer

Hleów-feðer, meaning “shelter-feather,” was used metaphorically in Old English literature to describe a protective arm wrapped around someone.

14. Insticce

The exact meaning of the Old English term insticce, or “inside-stitch,” remains unclear. However, it likely described either a sharp pain caused by physical strain or a tingling sensation akin to what we now call “pins and needles.”

15. Lárþéow

Lárþéow—later evolving into lorthew before vanishing from the language in the mid-13th century—was an Old English term for a schoolteacher, literally translating to “teaching-slave.”

16. Meolcliðe

Meolcliðe, meaning “milk-soft,” described something or someone exceptionally gentle or mild-mannered.

17. On-cýðig

On-cýðig, literally “un-known,” didn’t mean the same as “unknown.” While its precise meaning is debatable, it likely referred to the sorrow of missing something no longer present—a sense of “knowing” something or someone and then losing it or being separated from it.

18. Sǽ-flód

In Old English, the “sea-flood” referred to the rising tide.

19. Self-ǽta

A “self-eater” denoted a cannibal—or, more broadly, an animal that consumed others of its own kind.

20. Unweder

When the weather turns severe, it transforms into “un-weather”—an Old English term used to describe a storm.