Forgotten Words

[Argyros]

Varlet

[ var·​let | vahr-lit | vär-lət ]



noun

• A knavish or unprincipled person; rascal.
• An attendant or servant.
• A page who serves a knight.

Etymology

Varlet (c. 1425–1475, Late Middle English). From Anglo French. Variant of valet or vadlet (male servant, groom, knight's attendant).
Derived from Gallo-Romance vassellittus, diminutive of vassellus, diminutive of early Medieval Latin vassus (serf, servant, vassal).

[Sain]

Ooo, I like that word. It also works as a wonderful fantasy name ;D

[Argyros]

Agathokakological

[ ag·​a·​tho·​kak·​o·​log·​i·​cal | a-gə-thō-ˌka-kə-lä-ji-kəl]



adjective

(also agathocacological)

• Composed of both good and evil.

Etymology

Agathokakological (c. 1800–1843). From Ancient Greek ἀγαθός (agathós, “good”) and κακός (kakós, “bad”) + -logical.
Believed to have been first used as a nonce word by English poet Robert Southey.

[Hob]

Fescennine

adjective

• scurrilous or obscene
• licentious, sexually unrestrained, lewd
• marked by the use of vulgarity or obscene language

English, early 17th Century
Etymology unclear. Related to fescennini verses (early Italian/Roman ribald songs sung at rustic weddings.) Possibly from Latin fascinus (a phallus-shaped amulet used to ward off the evil eye) or from Fescennia (an ancient city of Etruscan/Faliscan origin.)

[Argyros]

Tantivy

[ tan·​tivy | tan-tiv-ee | tan-ˈti-vē ]



adverb

• At a full gallop.

adjective

• Swift; rapid.

noun (pl. tantivies)

• A rapid gallop or ride; rush.
• (Exclamation) Used as a hunting cry; tantara.

Etymology

Tantivy (c. 1635–1658). Origin unknown. One theory surmises that the adverb tantivy represents or imitates the sound of a galloping horse's hooves. The noun version can also mean "the blare of a trumpet or horn", likely due to similarities with the word tantara – a word for the sound of a trumpet that came about as an imitation of that sound. As both tantivy and tantara were used during foxhunts, it was likely that people used the two words interchangeably.

[Hob]

Quatrayle

noun

• great-great-great-grandfather
• the grandfather of the grandfather of one's father
• ancestor

English, "archaic"
quadri/quatra from Latin quattuor (four)
ayle from old French legal term for grandfather.
Found in The Nation: A Weekly Journal Dedicated to Politics, Literature, Science, and Art, Volume 19, 1874

[Argyros]

Amain

[ a·​main | uh-meyn | ə-ˈmān ]



adverb

• With full force.
• At full speed.
• Suddenly; hastily.
• Exceedingly; greatly.

Etymology

Amain (c. 1530–1540). From a +‎ main (strength, power, force).

[Argyros]

Sciolist

[ sci·o·list | sahy-uh-list | sī-​ə-​list​ ]



noun

• A person who pretends to be knowledgeable and well informed.
• One who exhibits only superficial knowledge; a self-proclaimed expert with little real understanding of that subject.

Etymology

Sciolist (c. 1810–1820). From Late Latin sciolus ("one who knows little"), a diminutive of scius ("knowing") + -ist (suffix, "a person who practices").

[Argyros]

Pismire

[ ​pis·​mire | pis-mahyuh r, (piz-) | pis-ˌmī(-ə)r | pɪsmaɪə(ɹ) ]



noun

• An ant.

Etymology

Pismire (c. 1350–1400). From Middle English pissemyre, a portmaneau of pisse (to urinate) + mire (ant); a pejorative name from the stench of formic acid proper to ants.
May also relate to Danish myre, Swedish myra or Dutch mier.

[Hob]

Mollynogging

verb

• Frequenting the company of loose or immoral women
• Associating with women of questionable character

Etymology unclear
supposedly from Lincolnshire, British
Molly as a diminuative of "Mary" (a common name) and possibly nog (a strong beer)

[Argyros]

Malapert

[ ​mal·​a·​pert | mal-uh-purt | ma-lə-ˈpərt ]



adjective

• Impudently bold or saucy.
• Boldly disrespectful, especially to a person of higher standing.

noun

• An impudent person.

Etymology

Malapert (c. 1375–1425, Late Middle English). A portmanteau of the prefix mal-, which is borrowed from the Latin root malus ("bad", "badly") and Middle English apert and Latin "apertus" ("open").

[Sain]

I'd like to see people try to write coherent sentences using words found only in this thread ;D Or maybe 50% of the sentence being from this thread? Either way, would love to see some forgotten old timey word salad.

[Argyros]

Glebe

[ ​glebe | glēb | gleeb ]



noun (also, glebe land)

• A meadow or field.
• A plot of cultivated land.
• (Archaic) Soil, turf or sod.
• (Historical) Land belonging to or yielding revenue to a parish church or ecclesiastical benefice.

Etymology

Glebe (c. 1275–1325, Middle English). From Old French glebe, derived from Latin glaeba ("lump of earth", "clod").

[Argyros]

Quockerwodger

[ KWOK·​er·​wad·​jer​ ]



noun (slang) (pl. quockerwodgers)

• A wooden puppet operated by string mechanics; a marionette.
• (Political) A politician whose actions are controlled by somebody else, usually a corporation or person of authority.

Etymology

Quockerwodger (c. 1859). First recorded in A Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words by John Camden Hotten (1859, p. 197). Origin unknown.

[Argyros]

Appetency

[ ap·​pe·​ten·​cy | a-pə-tən(t)-sē | ap-i-tuh n see ]



noun

• Intense, strong or fixed desire.
• Instinctive inclination or natural tendency.
• Attraction or affinity.

Etymology

Appentency (c. 1600–1610). From the obsolete appete ("to seek for", to long for"), a derivative of Latin appetere ("seek after"),
a portmaneau of the prefix ap- ("to", "toward", "near") + Latin petere ("to seek") + suffix -ence ("action", "state", "quality", "process"). Also has roots from the French appétence.

[Sain]

Appetency

[ ap·​pe·​ten·​cy | a-pə-tən(t)-sē | ap-i-tuh n see ]



noun

• Intense, strong or fixed desire.
• Instinctive inclination or natural tendency.
• Attraction or affinity.

Etymology

Appentency (c. 1600–1610). From the obsolete appete ("to seek for", to long for"), a derivative of Latin appetere ("seek after"),
a portmaneau of the prefix ap- ("to", "toward", "near") + Latin petere ("to seek") + suffix -ence ("action", "state", "quality", "process"). Also has roots from the French appétence.

Could have actually used this yesterday!

[Argyros]

Houppelande

[ houppe·​lande | hoop-lahnd, (-land) | ˈhüˌpländ ]



noun (alt. houpelande)

• A robe or long tunic, belted or with a fitted bodice, usually having full trailing sleeves and often trimmed or lined with fur.

Etymology

Houppelande (c. 1350–1400). From Middle English hopeland, derived from Old French hoppelande.

[Argyros]

Timbrel

[ tim·​brel | tim-brəl | tim-bruh l ]



noun

• A small drum, tambourine or similar instrument.

Etymology

Timbrel (c. 1490 – 1520, Middle English). Diminutive of Old French timbre ("small drum", "tambourine") + -el (agent suffix)

[Argyros]

Reave

[ reave | rēv | reev ]



verb (intransitive) reaved or reft, reaving

• To take away by or as by force; to seize.
• To plunder or rob.
  
• To rend, break or tear.

Etymology

Reave (c. < 900, Middle English reven). From Old English rēafian, cognate with German rauben and Dutch roven ("to rob").

[Argyros]

Esurient

[ esu·​ri·​ent | i-ˈsu̇r-ē-ənt (-ˈzu̇r-) | ih-soo r-ee-uh nt ]



adjective

• Hungry; greedy.

Etymology

Esurient (c. 1665–1675). From Latin esurient, a stem of esuriens, present participle of esurīre ("hungering"), which is equivalent to esur- ("hunger") + -ent (agent suffix).

[Argyros]

Sepulture

[ sep·​ul·​ture | se-pəl-ˌchu̇r | sep-uh l-cher ]



noun

• The act of placing in a sepulchre; a burial.
• A sepulchre, tomb or grave.

Etymology

Sepulture (c. 1250–1300, Middle English). From Old French sepulture or sepoutre ("tomb, coffin"), ultimately derived from
Latin sepultura ("burial, funeral obsequies") which is based off of Latin sepult, past participle stem of sepelire ("to bury").

[Argyros]

Tithe

[ tithe | ˈtīt͟h | taɪð | tahyth ]



noun

• One-tenth; a small fraction.
• A small tax or levy.
• (Religious) A tenth of something paid as a voluntary contribution or as a tax, especially for the support of a religious establishment.

verb [tithed, tithing] (used with or without an object)

• To give, pay or receive a tithe.

Etymology

Tithe (c. < 900 AD). (n.) From Middle English ti(ghe)the, derived from Old English teogotha ("tenth"); (v.) From Middle English tithen, derived from Old English teogothian ("to take the tenth of").

[Argyros]

Trig

[ trig ]



adjective

• Stylishly or jauntily trim, neat or smart.
• Extremely precise and proper; prim.
• (British) In good physical condition; sound, firm, vigorous or well.

Etymology

Trig (c. 1150–1200). From Middle English trigg ("true", "trusty"), derived from Old Norse tryggr ("loyal", "safe") and cognate with Gothic triggws ("true", "faithful").

[Argyros]

Buss

[ buss | bəs | buhs ]



noun or verb (transitive)

• Kiss.

Etymology

Buss (c. 1560–1570). Believed to be a combination of Middle English bass(en) ("kiss") and cuss (cognate with German kuss), which replaced the Old English coss (cognate with Old Norse koss).

[Argyros]

Cruse

[ cruse | krüs, krüz | kroos, krooz ]



noun

• An earthenware pot, jar or bottle used for storing liquids.
• A small vessel for holding a liquid.

Etymology

Cruse (c.1225–1275). From Middle English crouse, equivalent to Old English crūse (cognate with German krause (a type of pot with a lid)). Conflated with croo, derived from Old English crōh and crōg (cognate with German krug ("jug")).