Designations in parentheses behind the words show language from which the word was derived.
Other abbreviations: >dim-dimuative form n-noun v-verb vt-verb transitive vi-verb intransitive adj-adjective prep-preposition
ahent: (Scottish) near
alchemy: (Medieval Latin) the "science" of searching for a substance for transmuting base metals to gold, for the universal cure for disease, or for everlasting life.
amulet: (Old French) ornament, gem, or scroll with a charm against evil, talisman, often enscribed
annular: (Latin) ring-shaped (penannular - almost ring-shaped) common shapes of cloak brooches
arrowman, arrowoman: professional archers
assart: n or vt: to grub, hoe, or clear land - particularly forest land - or a piece of cleared land
bailey: (Middle English) enclosed courtyard
ballista (ae): (Latin) a medieval machine for throwing stones in battle, like a huge cross-bow
balm: (Greek) fragrant, soothing salve
balmacaan: (Scottish) A rough wool coat with raglan sleeves
balusters: (French) spindles
balustrade: balusters and rail
bane: (n) (Anglo-Saxon) thing which brings ruin or harm or injury (v t) to harm or injure
barb: (Old French) 1. pieces of white pleated linen worn over or under the chin 2. a neckband
bard: (Celtic) a poet/singer of poetry about heroes bárd - Irish bàrd - Scottish
barenth: (mine) underground dweller, evil, wolf-like face and hairy human body, wears byrnie and helmet, favorite weapon a gisarme
barm: (Anglo-Saxon) brewer’s yeast, also used as a household baking yeast
barrow: (Anglo-Saxon) hill or mound, sometimes for burial
beck: (Scottish) rushing brook
beechen: (Anglo-Saxon) made of beech wood
beek: (Scottish) (v.t., v.i.) to bask or warm
ben: (Scottish) a mountain, also, to come within a house
bent: (Archaic English) a moor, a heath, an unenclosed pasture
besom: (Anglo-Saxon) a broom of twigs, particularly birch or heather-Brit slang: an ugly-looking or ugly-tempered old woman, .
bight: (OE byht-bend.) 1. a bend in the coast forming a opne bay or the bay formed by such a bend. 2. a loop of rope
billet head: a relatively simple scrollwork ornament at a ship’s bow…believed to be of Celtic origin, to have come back to English from Old French billete.
black band hlystaner: on Glyn, the highest level of novice skills
boding: (n) premonition, omen, portent, foreboding
boreen , bohreen (Anglo-Irish) a narrow road or lane
bouk: (Scottish) trunk of the body
brae: (Scottish) hillside along a river, brow of a hill, a steep road, a mountain district, uplands
braes: (Scottish) breeches
brake: (Anglo-Saxon) rough or wet land heavily overgrown with thickets or reeds
braw: (Scottish) (adj) bravely dressed, handsome, fine
brawley: (Scottish) (adv) excellently, fine, well
brawne: (Old French) meat from a boar or domestic pig
breck: (Scottish) rough, sandy, undulating ground, scattered trees
brig: (Scottish) bridge
brindled (brinded): (Provincial English or Scottish) tawny or grayish, with streaks and spots (dog or cow)
brogue: (Gaelic Irish) coarse shoe of untanned hide
brome: (German - brom) coarse, bearded grass
brooch:
burn: (Scottish) stream or rivulet
byre: (Anglo-Saxon) cow barn or shed
byrig: (Welsh Gaelic) enclosure
byrnie: (Old Norse) shirt of coat of mail, hauberk
cabalistic: (Medieval Latin) secret, mystic arts or science, occult
cadgy: (Scottish) merry, cheerful, glad
caer: (early Celtic) hill
caillech:
candelabrum (Latin) a many branched candle holder. anglicized - candelabra (s) is also acceptable.
cantrips (to cast): (Scottish) to cast spells, horoscopes
cap: (Scottish) wooden two-handled bowl, used like a cup (Middle Eng) coppe
carraig or corraig: (Celtic) high cliff or outcropping
carraugh: Pict boat
cartouche: (French) convex rounded building plaque (escutcheon) with framing decoration, with painted or low relief decorations in center. A scroll-like design.
cellarer: (Old French) a person in charge of the cellars of a castle, monastery, etc.
chemise: shirt
chistr: cider
cist: (Welsh) a neolithic grave lined with stone slabs
coffer: (Latin) a chest or strong box, a safe (2) a deeply sunk panel in a ceiling, ornamented or plain
collieshangie : (Scottish) noisy quarrel
collop: (Middle English) a piece of meat (2) (Irish) a pasture that will feed an animal for a year or the equivalent (3) as many animals that can feed in an Irish acre (4) a two-year old heifer
collops: hanging folds of flesh (as on fat people)
commoner: person who lives in a commune
community, commune: group living
conjuration: (Old French) spell or hex
conjurer: one who performs magical tricks, a magician or wizard
coombe: (Anglo-Saxon) a ravine-like narrow valley or (esp. Scottish) a hollow in the side of a hill of mountain
copse (or coppice): (Old French) a thicket or grove, usually for cutting Tree is cut. Saplings from stumps grove 7 to 20 years, then are cut. New saplings grow, etc.
coracle: (Welsh) small round boat with wood frame, filled with grasses or wicker, waterproofed with oiled skin or asphalt
cote: (Anglo-Saxon) (1) shelter for animals (2) small cottage (3) ancient holding of a cotter, consisting of a house or hut and 5 acres of land.
cotte: (cotehardie) a long-sleeved garment, thigh-long for men, full length for women. Made to fit closely by buttons or lacing. Belted at hip for men.
coven: a group of witches who practice religion together
cowl: (Anglo-Saxon) hood or hooded garment
crag: (Celtic) high rocky point or cliff
craichy: (Scottish) illish, cranky, not feeling good
creesh: (Scottish) (n, v.t.) grease
cresset (Old English) lamp: depression in stone or clay filled with oil and with a wick. Could be carried.
croft: (Scottish) a small farm, often rented land, or a pasture on a small farm
crofter: the owner or renter of a croft
cromlech: (Old Welsh) Used somewhat interchangeably with dolmen. These are arrangements of primitive standing stones, either a slab on top of upright stones, or a circle of stones. Often thought to have magic or ancient religious properties.
cruk:
cryptic: (Latin) having a secret meaning
cucullus: (Latin) hood
dagger: (Medieval Latin) double-bladed knife
daimen: (Scottish) (adj) occasional
dale (vale): (Anglo-Saxon) a river valley
daub: (Old French) (v) to smear or cover with a soft adhesive matter such as plaster
(n) plaster or whitewash
dell: ravine, hollow, usually wooded or turfed
deal: pine or fir planks 7-9 inches wide, and long enough for tables, etc.
deiseil: (Scottish Wican) to walk clockwise in a circle
dirk: long dagger
divine (to) (Old French) to tell of what will happen in the future, to prophecize, to foretell, presage, portend
doire: an oak grove (often sacred) (Irish) corrupted to derry in place names.
duir: related word, is the Irish Ogham tree alphabet name for oak.
dolmen: (French) 2 or more upright slabs or stones supporting a horizontal slab, cromlech
drammach: (beverage) oatmeal, seasoned with salt and pepper, mixed with water until thin enough to drink.
dreye: (Middle English) horse drawn wagon for carrying goods, dray
dùgan: (Scottish Gaelic) darkness of the loch, the darkest time of anything
eatinghall: (mine) a dining room or hall
elderkin: (Anglo-Saxon elder meaning earlier, former, older ) + kin Irish for the "Little Folk," elves, leprechauns, fairies, brownies, fyr derrigs, puca, pixies (Cornish - pisties), etc.
eleigh:
elf: (Old English aelf) a tiny mischievous fairy
elixir: (Medieval Latin) a powder sought by alchemists that would lengthen life, cure all disease, change base metals to gold
ell: (Old English) a measurement, usually of fabric, varying from 27 to 45 inches
eveningside: (mine) west
faggot (fagot): (French) bundle of twigs tied together
fairy: (Old French) goddess of fate (fate=fairy), supernatural being also faerie or faery
familiar: (Old French) enchanted creature that is attached to a mage, usually acting as servant, protector, or go-between with mage and spirit worlds.
farseer: (Medieval) one who sees things at a great distance
feill: (Celtic) evening
fell: (Old Norse) mountain height, hill, or moor
fell: (Scottish) adj smooth, clean, snug
fen: (Anglo-Saxon) swampy, boggy area
firth (frith): (Old Norse) an estuary or narrow arm of the sea
flannel: (Welsh) a soft, woolen, cloth
flask: (Vulgar Latin) bottle-shaped metal containers (dim> flasket)
flax: plan from which linen cloth is made
flush (Middle English) work: flint (small, round stones, gray, or the same stones cut in half giving a glassy black surface) fill, usually inside stone tracery
fold: (Anglo-Saxon) enclosure for sheep or cattle
foretell: (fore-Old English, plus the verb tell) to tell of what will happen in the future, to presage, to divine, to portend
foreteller: one who can see the future, or gets prophecies
fornent: (Scottish) (prep) facing, opposite, in the direction of, in regard to
fosse: (French) a ravine, ditch, gully, moat
frock: (Scottish) a coarse worsted top worn over or instead of a shirt
fuarag: (crowdie) (Scottish) oatmeal mixed with cold water and allowed to soak: a cold gruel
furze: (Anglo-Saxon) a spiny shrub with many branches and yellow flowers. Used for fuel. Young shoots used for fodder. (gorse, whin)
fyr derrig: (Celtic) dwarf-type male in red coat. Fireside dweller. Gives protection to household. also fir dearc
garth: (Old Norse) small yard or enclosure
ghyll (also gill): (Scottish) small stream or rivulet or a small wooded valley
gillie: (Gaelic) servant
gisarme: (Old French) blade sharpened both sides, or hook on one side, sharpened on the other, fastened to shaft.
glade: (1) open place in a forest (2) a buzzard
glaive (or glave): broadsword
glen: (Celtic) secluded narrow valley
gnome: (French) short men who live underground, mine jewels
gobbet: (Old French) chunk (usually of meat or fat)
golden bough: mistletoe
gowan: (Scottish) white or yellow field flowers, particularly daisies
gowany, gowaned: covered with gowans (white flowers, such as daisies)
gowpen (Scottish) (1) two hands held together to form a bowl (2) the amount that can be held thus (3) a large quantity
greensward: grass-covered area
gremalkin: old female cat
gremlin: small gnomes, trouble maker
grot: (mine) meat/carrion-eating creatures, pets of gnomes, often used as spies, look like muskrats with protruding teeth, long claws, and red eyes.
gruel: (Old French) a thin porridge from grain boiled in water or milk to make a think broth or a pudding
grushie: (Scottish) adj. healthy, thriving
gruthim: raw cheese curds in whey
hackle: to comb out flax or hemp
haft: (Scottish) fixed or settled abode or pasture
hamlet: (Old French) a cluster of houses in the countryside
haugh: (Scottish) piece of low flat ground beside a river
haver: (Scottish) 1. the oat, oats 2. to talk foolishly
havermeal: (Scottish) oatmeal
haversack: (German) a sack or case to carry supplies/provisions in.
hayward: in charge of hedges and fences at a manor
heath: like moor, with low, scrubby plants
hedgerow: a row of shrubs or trees put in to enclose or separate fields
henge: circle of stones
hind: (Anglo-Saxon) peasant, low class
hind: female red deer
hlystaner: a listener, a telepath (my coined) from Anglo-Saxon hlystan: to listen, to hearken
hoarfrost: hoar is Anglo-Saxon for gray or white (+ frost)
imprecation: (Latin) calling down curses upon, to invoke evil
jerkin: jacket or short coat of leather
kirtle: (Anglo-Saxon) tunic or gown
lackey: (French) menial, servile attendant
laedaigg: (mine) Highest officer (chief) in an warrior force. Strategist
lambent: (Latin) 1. running or moving lightly over a surface (lambent smile, lambent flame) 2. dealing lightly and gracefully with a subject (lambent wit) 3. softly bright of radiant (lambent light)
lammas (loaf): (Anglo-Saxon) holiday Aug 1 (first loaf baked with new grain)
lave: (Anglo-Saxon) (n) what is left, the remainder, the rest
lea (also ley): (Anglo-Saxon) pasture, meadow, fallow land
lea: 80 yards of wool, or 100 yards of linen
lictus: medicine to be licked up
lifebreath: (mine) the medium through which hlsynaners communicate, cyberspace
lime: (Anglo-Saxon) (calcium carbonate) used in tanning and in plaster and mortar
linden: (European) tree with heart-shaped leaves, small white flowers, (lime tree, basswood)
linn: (Anglo-Saxon)waterfall or pool beneath a fall, cataract, water running over rocks
linnet: (Old French) small brown or gray songbird that eats flax seeds Also called furze-linnet
looking glass: (my coined) telescope
mage: (Latin) magician, wizard (adj) magian
mast: (Anglo-Saxon) nuts as food for pigs, esp acorns and beechnuts
mead: (Anglo-Saxon) a fermented drink made of honey, usually considered a kind of wine
mead-hall: (Anglo-Saxon) guild halls/ lodgings of professional warriors
medium: (Latin) one who goes between In Kildonan, wizards who are guardians of the stone-bearers and get messages for them from the spirit worlds (Arvon and Erthe).
melliflous: {Latin melli (honey) fluent (flow) } 1. sweet, flowing (voice) 2. sweetened w/honey
menhir: {Cornish maen (stone) hir (long) } tall standing stone erected as burial or battle monument Rough or smoothed
mesne lord: (pronounced mine) holds property between superior lord and inferior tenant
miche (Celtic) (v) to lurk, skulk, sneak
milch-cow: (Anglo-Saxon meolce - milk) cow that gives milk
mickle: (Anglo-Saxon) great much
monolith: (Latin) a single large stone made into a monument, statue, or pillar
moor: (Anglo-Saxon) (1) extensive area of open rolling infertile land, sand, rock, or peat. Covered with heather, bracken, coarse grass, sphagnum moss (2) boggy area with sedges and grass in peat (3) fen
morningside: (mine) east
muffle: (Scottish) mitten
mure: (v.) (Medieval Latin) to imprison
muzzy: (slang) thinking foggily, muddled
nadir: (Old French) the lowest point
necromancer: (Latin) foretells the future by communicating with the dead or any dark-side wizard.
neuk: (Scottish) nook or corner
nogging: brick fill of a half-timbered wall
novice hlsytaner: one who is studying the skill at the first level.
obelisk: (Greek) tapering 4-sided monolith with pyramid point
occult: (Latin) referring to alchemy, magic, astrology, and other arts using divination, incantation, magical formulae, etc.
osier (or sally): (Medieval Latin) willow (for weaving baskets, wickerwork, weirs, wattle and daub)
overseer: in Kildonan, the commune job assignment of overseeing (supervising) all the work/activites of the commune.
panoply: (Greek) full set of armor or other magnificent covering
patrol: in Kildonan, 9 sudeours
philtre, philter: (Latin) love potion
piggin: (Gaelic) shallow vessel or long-handled dipper
porridge: (Middle English) grain boiled in water or milk to make a think broth or a pudding and is usually referred to in the plural. i.e. those porridge
porringer: a dish for porridge
posset: (Middle English) hot milk curdled with liquor such as ale or wine, sweetened, spiced, and sometimes thickened with bread.
posset-cup: a utensil for making/drinking posset
pottage: (Old French) a dish made by boiling vegetables or vegetables and meat; a soup
prefect: in Kildonan, administrator of a guild of professional warriors
presage (to): (French) to foretell, predict, prophecize
puca: (Celtic) evil spirits
quoit: (Middle English) stone cover of a cromlech or cist
rath: (Irish) hill or mound, often man-made
(to) redd (up): (Middle English reden) clean, straighten
reeve: (Middle English) over all tenants on a manor, kept accounts, ranks below steward
rill: (Low German) rippling small stream, brooklet, streamlet
rinceau: a carved border, alone or on a frieze, of entwined (arabesque) leaves, sometimes with flowers or fruit
rowan tree: mountain ash
rune: (Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse) secret, mysterious, magic language.
runlet: (Middle English) beck, streamlet, brook, runnel
salve: (Anglo-Saxon) a healing ointment, unguent
scon, scun, scoon: pronounced skun or seeun. To cause to skip, as a stone on water, to skim or pass quickly. scuned or scund, scunning In Cormac’s case, to scoon is to teleport.
scraggy: lean, thin, bony
scraggly: rough, ragged
scrog: (Middle English skrogg) used in Scottish and related dialects: stunted bush, a branch
scrogs: brush, thicket
seax: (Anglo-Saxon) short sword
sherte: similar to chemise or shirt, but collarless and usually long and full with long full sleeves.
shiel or shieling: (Scottish and North England) hut or shanty, herdsman’s hut
sigil: (Latin) occult or magic sign: seal or signet
skeld: (mine) a chief rank in a warrior force, commands 12 tals (264 armsbearers)
skry: (v.t, v.i.) to see the future, to prophesy
skyrlie: (Scottish) Brown onions in fat. Add oatmeal and stir into a firm paste. Season.
sleeproom: (mine) bedroom or dormitory
smoor: to bank or cover a fire for the night, sometimes a ritual act
solitary: a witch who practices the religion alone, as opposed to coven (group) worship
sorcerer: (Old French) person who practices magic with the aid of evil spirits
sough: (vi) (suf, sou) and (vt) (n): (Scottish) sigh, rustling, murmur, rushing sound.
spectre: (Latin) ghost
sprite: (Old French) a spirit of earth or air, a fairy , elf, or goblin
spurtle: a flat spoon for stirring porridge, also called a pobstick or thivel
stele (stelae): (Latin) slab or pillar with inscriptions
steward: (Anglo-Saxon) highest ranking servant of a Lord or King (there are many kinds of stewards)
stone-bearer: (mine) wearer of one of the Mêrthyrn stones
sudeour: (mine) lowest rank in warrior force
surcote: (Old French) a tunice-like outer coat or cloak
swain: (Old Norse) a peasant or rustic
sycophant: (Greek) servile flatterer
tal: (mine) 27 sudeours; can be broken into patrols of 9
talisman: (Greek) a gem, scroll, or ornament that bears a charm to avoid evil or do strong magic.
tarrydiddle: (Middle English) to waste time
thane: (Scottish from Middle English from Anglo-Saxon)A warrior or one holding land from the king or the head of a clan. In Kildonan:warriorforce battlefield commander, the second highest chief. Also, any professional or highly skilled warrior
thaumaturge: (Greek) worker of wonders, of miracles
thieveless (Scottish) (adj) ineffectual, aimless, spiritless, or cold in manner
thig: (Scottish) (v) to get or borrow, to cadge thigger (n)
thrall: (Anglo-Saxon) one in bondage; slavery
toady: a truckler to the rich and powerful, to fawn
tor: (Anglo-Saxon) high craggy hill, rocky pinnacle or peak
torque: (Latin) gold neck piece. often twisted, warn by warriors (Celtic) or nobles (Saxon/Norse)
trews: (Scottish) tight knee-length Celtic trousers
tuaithiuil: (Scottish Witan) counter clockwise, wrong, left, enemy
tunic: (Latin) short or long overshirt
turf, turves: (Anglo-Saxon) blocks of peat used for fuel
understory: small growth under forest canopy
vassal: (Celtic) tenant, dependent, bondsman, or slave
vellum: (Old French) thin, supple calfskin used for book pages or cover
verjuice: (Old French) acid liquor from fermented fruit juice
vitki: (Icelandic) wizard
waegen: (Old English) wagon
wain: (Anglo-Saxon) wagon (waegen)
warder: in Kildonan, lowest chief rank, commands 1 tal (27 armsbearers)
warlock: (Anglo-Saxon) wizard, mage, sorcerer
warriorforce: (mine coined) the armed warriors (army) of a king or other leader
wattle: (Anglo-Saxon) twisted and interwoven twigs and withes to make a structure. Often daubed with mud or plaster to form a wall.
wench: kitchen help, female
wergild: payment for wrongful death
wersh: tasteless, insipid, feeble, shriveled
weskit: vest
whey: watery milk from cheese making
wicket gate: small door within a larger door (small door for people, large door for pack animals) into courtyard
wimple: (1) a turn or twist in a stream (2) a woman’s head veil
witan: (1) one who knows, or a council of knowledgeable (2) witch (Anglo-Saxon witanagemut)) corrupted to Wicca (masculine) or Wicce (feminine)
witch: one who performs magic
withe (withie-popular English): tough, flexible stem (as in willow or hazel) used to bind things or make snares, wave baskets, mats, for wattle
witling: stupid person
woad: blue dye from plant of the mustard family. dye is from the leaves.
wold: rolling clear uplands or moors (obs woodlands)
woodward: in charge of the woods of a manor
woodwose: mythical "Man of the Woods" like a satyr
wynd: narrow, winding lane
wyvern: 2-legged dragon used in heraldry
yill: (Scottish) ale
|