The Vocabulary of Old English

Old-fashioned words in English are terms that were commonly used in the past but are less prevalent in modern languages. Being familiar with their meanings can help you understand English literature.

Thou — an archaic second-person singular pronoun, used instead of "you". W. Shakespeare used it a lot in his works.
Example: I love thou with all my heart.

Thee — an archaic object form of "you", used as the object of a verb or preposition.
Example: I give this gift to thee.

Thy — an archaic possessive form of "your".
Example: Thy wisdom is admirable.

Hitherto — an old-fashioned English term meaning "up until now" or "until this time".
Example: Hitherto, I had not seen such beauty.

Ere — an old-fashioned way to say "before" or "prior to".
Example: I shall see you ere the day is done.

Methinks — an English expression that has the following alternatives nowadays: "it seems to me" or "I think."
Example: Methinks the weather will be fine tomorrow.

Fain — an adverb that means "gladly" or "willingly."
Example: I am fain to accept your invitation.

Verily — "truly" or "indeed."
Example: Verily, I say unto you.

Alas — a way to express sorrow, regret, or disappointment. Nowadays, it’s commonly used in spoken English.
Example: Alas, the news is not what we had hoped.

Anon — an old-fashioned word meaning "soon" or "shortly". The expression “ASAP” (“as soon as possible”) is an alternative we use in formal English now.
Example: I shall return anon.

Follow this article to find which English words and expressions became popular among native speakers in 2022-2023.

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