Middle-earth Word-hoard

Click the following links to jump to entries beginning with different letters in the glossary:

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  R  S  T  V  W  

Adamant (n.) from Middle French, from Latin adamant, adamas (hardest metal or diamond) — 1) Stone of impenetrable hardness as in a diamond. 2) An unbreakable subtance.

Affray (n.) from Middle French affreer (to startle) — Fight, brawl.

Anon (adv.) from Old English on an (one) — Immediately, soon.

Argent (adj.) from Middle English, from Middle French and Latin argentum; akin to Greek argyros (silver) — 1) The metal silver 2) The heraldic color of silver or white.

Baldric (n.) from Middle English baudry, baudrik from Middle French baudré from Old French baldrei — Belt worn over one shoulder to support a sword or bugle, often ornamented.

Barrow (n.) Middle English bergh, from Old English beorg; akin to Old High German berg, mountain — 1) Mountain or mound used in the names of English hills. 2) Large mound of earth or stones over the remains of the dead.

Bane (n.) from Old English bana, akin to Old High German bano (death) — 1a) Killer, slayer. b) Death, destruction. c) Woe. 2) Curse.

Belie (v.) — To disguise or contradict.

Bereft (adj.) from past tense of bereave from Old English berēafian from be + rēafian (to be robbed of) — 1) Deprived or robbed of the possession or use of something. 2) Bereaved.

Besom (n.) Middle English beseme from Old English besma; akin to Old High German besmo, broom — Broom, especially one made from twigs.

Betide (v.) — To happen or befall.

Bier (n.) Middle English bere, from Old English baer; akin to Old English beran, to carry — 1) A framework for carrying. 2) A platform or stand for carrying a coffin.

Blench (v.) from Old English blencan (to deceive), akin to Old Norse blekkja (to impose upon) — To draw back or turn aside from lack of courage.

Board (n.) from Middle English bord (sawed lumber or ship’s side), akin to Old High German bort (ship’s side) — archaic 1) Table or table spread with a meal. 2) Daily meals, especially when furnished as pay.

Bog (n.) from Scottish and Irish Gaelic bog (marshy), akin to Old English bugan (to bend) — Wet, spongy ground, especially one that is poorly drained or surrounded by water and having plant growth in sedges or heaths.

Boon (n.) from Old Norse bōn (to petition), akin to Old English bēn (prayer), bannan (to summon) — 1) Benefit or favor, especially one given in response to a request. 2) Timely benefit or blessing.

Brace (n.) from Latin bracchia (a pair of arms) — Two of a kind.

Bracken (n.) from Middle English braken, akin to Old Swedish brœkne (fern) — Large rough fern (Pteridium aquilinum). See also Brake.

Brake (n.) from Middle English braken — The common bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum).

Brand (n.) from Old English bœrnan (to burn) — A burning or charred piece of wood.

Buckler (n.) Middle English bocler, from Middle French, shield with a boss — 1a) A small round shield held by a handle at arm’s length. b) A shield worn on the left arm. 2) One that protects by shielding.

Byre (n.) [’bīr] from Old English byre, akin to Old English bur (dwelling) — Cow barn.

Cairn (n.) Middle English carne, from Scottish Gaelic, Old Irish and Welsh carn — A heap of stones piled up as a memorial.

Carcanet (n.) Middle French carcan — An ornamental necklace, chain, collar, or headband.

Chalcedony (n.) Middle English calcedonie, precious stone, from Late Latin chalcedonius, from Greek chalkedon — Translucent quartz that is commonly pale blue or gray with a waxlike luster.

Cloven (adj.) archaic past tense of cleave from Old English clēofan, akin to Latin glubere (to peel) and Greek glyphein (to carve) — Divided or split as though by a cutting blow.

Concourse (n.) Middle English, from Middle French concours, from Latin concursus (to run together) — 1) Act or process of coming together. 2) Meeting produced by a voluntary coming together. 3a) Open space where roads come together. 3b) Open space or hall where crowds come together.

Coneys (n.) Middle English conies, from Old French conis (plural of conil), from Latin cuniculus (rabbit) — Rabbit, especially European rabbit.

Coomb (n.) [’kum] variant of combe from Old English cumb, akin to Welsh cwim — Deep narrow valley.

Corselet (n.) from French corslet (diminutive of cors — body or bodice) — Piece of armor designed to cover the warrior’s trunk.

Cot (n.) Middle English, from Old English kot, a hut — 1) A small house. 2) Cover, sheath, or stall.

Deem (v.) from Old English dēman, akin to Old High German tuomen (to judge) — 1) To judge or consider. 2) To have an opinion or believe.

Defile (n.) from French défilé — a narrow passage or gorge.

Dell (n.) from Old English dæl, akin to Old High German telle (ravine) — a small valley or hollow, especially one covered in trees or turf.

Delved (adj.) from Old English delfan, akin to Old High German telban (dig) — Dug out or having made a careful search for information.

Descry (v.) [di-’skrī] Middle English descrien, from Middle French descrier (to proclaim) — 1) obsolete To make known, reveal. 2) To catch sight of, find out, discover.

Dingle (n.) from Middle English dingle (deep hollow) — Small wooded valley.

Dissemble (v.) from Middle English dissymblen, from Middle French dissimuler, from Latin dissimulare — 1) To hide under a phony appearance. 2) To conceal facts, intentions, or feelings under a false pretense.

Doggrel (adj.) variant of doggerel, Middle English diminutive of dog — Loosely styled in measure, especially for comic effect, and marked by triviality or inferiority.

Doom (n.) [’düm] from Old English dōm, dōn (to do), akin to High German tuom — 1) Judgment or decision, especially a judicial condemnation. 2) Destiny or fate, especially an unfortunate one.

Dotard (n.) [’dō-t&rd] from Middle English dote, akin to Middle Low German dotten (to be foolish) — Someone who exhibits the mental decline of or like old age.

Doughty (adj.) [’dau-tE] from Old English dohtig, akin to Old High German toug (useful) — Valiant and resolute.

Dour (adj.) Middle English from Latin durus (hard) 1) Stern, harsh. 2) Obstinate, unyielding. 3) Gloomy, sullen.

Draught (n.) [’dr(a’)f-t] British variant of draft from Middle English draght, akin to Old English dragan (to draw) — 1a) Act of drinking or inhaling something. b) The portion drunk or inhaled.

Dryad (adj.) from Latin dryad, dryas, from Greek drys (tree) — Treelike.

Dun (adj.) from Old English dunn — 1) Having the color of dusk. 2) Marked by dullness or drabness.

Durst (v.) — archaic past tense of dare.

Embrasure (n.) [’im-brā-zh&r] from archaic French embraser (to widen an opening) — 1) An opening with sides that flare outward in a wall or parapet of a fortress. 2) A recess for a door or window.

Ere (prep.) from Old English ær, akin to Old High German er (earlier) and Greek eri (early) — Before.

Eyrie (n.) variant of aerie from Medieval Latin aerea, assumed from Vulgar Latin agrum (nest, lair) from Latin ager (field) — 1) Nest of a bird on a cliff or mountaintop. 2) Obsolete: Brood of birds of prey.

Fag-end (n.) fag from Middle English fagge (flap) — 1) A poor or worn out end, remnant. 2) An extreme end.

Fastness (n.) — 1a) A fortified or secure place. 1b) A remote or secluded place.

Fathom (n.) from Old English fæthm (outstretched arms) — Unit of measure equal to six feet (1.83 meters).

Fealty (n.) from Old French feelté, fealté, from Latin fidelitas (fidelity or loyalty) — 1) Fidelity of a vassal to his lord. 2) Intense fidelity or loyalty.

Feint (n.) [’fānt] French feinte, from Old French feint, past participle of feindre — Mock blow or attack on one part of an army to take attention from the point where the real attack is to take place.

Fell (adj.) from Middle English fel akin to felon — Fierce, cruel, malevolent, or deadly.

Fen (n.) from Old English fenn, akin to Old High German fenna and Sanskrit panka (mud) — Low land usually partially or completely covered in water.

Fey (adj.) from Old English fæge, akin to Old High German feigi — 1a) Fated to die. b) Filled with a foreboding of death or calamity. 2a) Able to see the future. b) Having an otherworldly attitude.

Flagon (n.) from Middle French flascon, flaçon, Late Latin flascon (bottle) — 1) A large vessel, usually for wine, with a spout and often a lid. 2) A large bulging bottle with a short neck.

Flotsam (n.) from Anglo-French floteson, from Old French floter (to float), akin to Old English flotian (to float) — 1) Floating wreckage from a ship’s cargo. 2) Floating debris or population (as in emigrants or castaways).

Fold (n.) from Old English falod, akin to Old Saxon faled (enclosure) — 1) An enclosure for sheep. 2) A flock of sheep.

Foray (n.) from Middle English forrayen, akin to Middle French forrer (fodder) — Sudden and irregular invasion or attack in war often for the purpose of spoils.

Forbear (v.) Middle English forberen, from Old English forberan (to endure, do without) — 1. obsolete To do without. 2) To hold oneself back, especially with an effort. 3) obsolete To shun.

Freshet (n.) — Archaic word for stream or overflowing of a stream caused by heavy rains or melting snow.

Fosse (n.) Middle English fosse, from French from Latin fossa (feminine of fossus) — Ditch or moat.

Furlong (n.) from Old English furlang from furh (furrow) and lang (long) — Unit of distance equal to approximately 220 yards or 201 meters.

Gangrel (n.) [’ga[ng]-&-r&l] from Old English gangan (to go) —Vagrant.

Garner (n.) from Old French gernier, grenier, from Latin granarium — Granary or grain bin.

Garth (n.) Middle English from Old Norse garthyr; akin to Old High German gart, enclosure — A small enclosure or yard.

Gauntlet (n.) from Middle French gantelet (diminutive of gant — glove) — Glove worn with medieval armor.

Gibbet (n.) Middle English gibet, from French — 1) Gallows. 2) An upright post with a projecting arm for hanging the bodies of executed criminals.

Gloaming (n.) Middle English gloming from Old English glōming, from glōm, twilight akin to Old English glōwan to glow — Dusk or twilight.

Gorse (n.) from Middle English gorst, akin to Old High German gersta (barley) — Spiny yellow-flowered shrub in the family Ulex europaenus.

Grange (n.) from Middle English from Middle French and Latin granica, from Latin granum (grain) — 1) archaic Granary, barn. 2) Farmhouse, especially with outbuildings.

Habergeon (n.) [‘ha-b&r-j&n] Middle English haubergeoun, from Middle French haubergeon, diminutive of hauberc (hauberk) — A jacket of mail shorter than a hauberk.

Hauberk (n.) from Old French hauberc, akin to Old English healsbeorg (neck armor) — Tunic of chain mail worn as defensive armor.

Helm (n.) Old English for Helmet.

Hither (adv.) from Old English hider, akin to Gothic hidre, Latin circa (on this side) — To this place.

Hobnob (v.) from archaic phrase “drink hobnob (one after the other)” — To drink sociably or to socialize with one another.

Holm (n.) — One of the southern European oaks in the family Quercus ilex.

Howe (n.) from Old English hol (hollow) — Hollow, valley.

Hythe (n.) variant of hithe, from Middle English hythe, from Old English hyth; akin to Old Saxon hūth, port — A small port or harbor, especially on a river.

Ilex (n.) — Holm oak or holly. See also Holm.

Jetsam (n.) alteration of jettison — The part of the ship or its cargo that is thrown overboard to keep the ship from sinking during a storm or attack.

Kerb (n.) British for curb.

Kine (n.) [’kīn] — Archaic plural of cow.

Knell (v.) [’nel] Middle English from Old English cnyllan (to toll) — 1) To ring, especially for a death, funeral, or disaster. 2) To sound with an ominous effect.

Larch (n.) — Pine trees in the genus Larix.

League (n.) from Middle English leuge, lege, from Late Latin leuga — Unit of distance from between 2.4 to 4.6 statute miles (3.9 to 7.4 meters).

Leechcraft (n.) from Old English læce, akin to Old High German lāhhi (physician) — The craft of the physician, i.e., healing.

Liege (adj.) from Old French from Old Latin laeticus from laetus (serf) — 1a) Having right to feudal allegiance. b) Obligated to render feudal allegiance. 2) Faithful, loyal.

Ling (n.) from Old Norse lyng — Common heath plant in the family Calluna vulgaris.

Livery (n.) from Middle French livree (delivery) from Latin liberare (to free) — The distinctive clothing or badge worn by retainers of a certain rank.

Loth (v.) variant of loathe from Old English lāth (loathsome), akin to Old High German leid, Old Irish litus (loathing) — Unwilling or reluctant to do something.

Mantle (n.) from Middle English mantel from Old French, Latin mantellum — 1) Loose sleeveless garment worn over clothes. 2) Symbol of preeminence or authority.

March (n.) Middle English marche, from Old French; akin to Old High German marha boundary — Borderland or frontier or territory in an official’s jurisdiction.

Marge (n.) Middle French, from Latin margin-, margo border — archaic edge, border, or margin.

Mark (n.) from Old English mearc (boundary, march) — A land marked by boundaries.

Mead (n.) from Old English medu, akin to Old High German metu and Greek methy (wine) — 1) Fermented beverage of water, honey, and wine. 2) Archaic form of meadow.

Meet (adj.) from Middle English mete from gemæte, akin to Old English metan — Very proper, especially in the sense of being adapted to a particular situation, need, or circumstance.

Mere (n.) [’mir] —Area of standing water such as a lake or pond.

Mew (n.) Middle English, from Old English maew; akin to Old Saxon mēw — A gull, especially the common European gull (Larsus canus).

Mire (n.) from Old Norse myrr, akin to Old English mōs (marsh) — Wet soft earth, often with deep mud. See also Bog.

Mirk (adj.) variant of murk from Old English mirce, akin to Old Norse myrkr (darkness) — Gloom, darkness, fog.

Moot (n.) [’müt] from Old English mōt, gemōt — Deliberative assembly brought together primarily for the dispensation of justice, especially one held by Anglo-Saxon freemen.

Mould (n.) variant of mold from Old English molde, akin to Old High German molta (soil), Latin molere (to grind) — Crumbling pliant soil suited to growing plants.

Muster (n.) from Middle English mustre and Old French mostre — The act of assembling a group, especially for military inspection.

Naught (n.) from Old English nāwiht — no + wight (no creature or thing) — Nothing.

Niggard (n.) Middle English of Scandinavian origin, akin to Old Norse hnøggr (miserly) and Old English hnēaw (miserly) — Miser.

Nigh (adv.) [’nī] from Old English neah — near in time, space, or relationship.

Noisome (adj.) from Middle English noysome, relate to Old French ennui — Noxious or offensive, especially to the sense of smell.

Oast (n.) from Old English āst, akin to Middle Dutch eest (kiln), Latin aestus (heat), aestas (summer) — Conical kiln used for drying hops, barley, malt, and tobacco, usually referred to as an “oast house.”

Ostler (n.) Middle English osteler, hosteler, hostler innkeeper — 1a) One who takes care of horses at an inn or stable (groom). 1b) One who is in charge of the horses or mules used (stableman).

Panoply (n.) from Greek panoplia — pan + hopla (all armor) — 1a) A full suit of armor. 1b) Ceremonial attire.

Palfrey (n.) Middle English from Old French palefrei, from Medieval Latin palafredus, from Late Latin paraveredus a post horse for secondary roads — A saddle horse other than a war-horse, especially an easy gaited horse suitable for a lady.

Postern (n.) Middle English posterne, from Old French posterle, from Late Latin posterula, little secret door, diminutive of postera back door — 1a) A back door or gate or side entrance or escape. 1b) An obscure way of entrance or escape.

Raiment (n.) from Middle English rayment, short for arrayment from arrayen (to array or clothe) — Clothing or garments.

Recreant (n.) from Middle French present participle of recroire (to renounce one’s cause in a trial by battle) — 1) Cowardly. 2) Unfaithful to one’s duty or allegiance.

Recking (v.) Middle English recchen, recken to be concerned, take heed, from Old English reccan, rēcan; akin to Old High German ruohhen — 1) To take account of, regard. 2) To matter to, concern.

Rede (n.) Middle English reden to read, advise, interpret, govern, guess — 1) To give counsel to, advise, warn. 2) To arrive at by conjecture, guess.

Reek (n.) from Old English rēc, akin to Old High German rouh (smoke) — Smoke, vapor, or fog, especially one with a disagreeable odor.

Rick (n.) Middle English reke, reek, from Old English hrēac and perhaps akin to Old English hrycg, ridge — 1) An elongated pile (as of grain, straw, or hay) in the open air, often protected from wet with thatching. 2) A pile of cordwood, stave bolts, or wood split from short logs.

Rill (n.) from Dutch ril or German rille, akin to Old English rīth (rivulet) — Very small river or brook.

Rue (v.) from Old English hrēow, akin to Old High German hriuwa (sorrow) — To feel sorrow for or regret.

Salver (n.) from Spanish salva (sampling food to detect poison), from Late Latin salvare (to save) — A tray, especially one for serving food and beverages.

Saxifrage (n.) [’sak-s&-frij] from Late Latin saxifraga (breaking rocks) — Any of the perennial herbs in the Saxifrage family with five-part flowers and clustered leaves arising from the base.

Shiver (v.) Middle English, akin to Old High German scivaro, splinter — To shatter by breaking into little pieces.

Spinney (n.) Middle French espinaye thorny thicket, from espine thorn, from Latin spina — A small wood with undergrowth, copse, or thicket.

Stave (n.) Back formation from staves, archaic plural of staff — 1) Long stick carried to aid in walking or hiking. 2) Stanza. 3) Narrow strips of wood or iron plates used to line a vessel or barrel.

Stead (n.) from Middle English stede, akin to Old High German stat (place), Old English standan (to stand) — 1) obsolete Place, local. 2) Advantage (as in “to stand in good stead”). 3) Office or function normally carried out by someone else.