Below is a resource for writers, consisting of dozens of Middle English words paired with their modern-day equivalent meanings. The list is not meant to be exhaustive of all Middle English. If there are any words you wish me to add to the list, feel free to contact me and let me know (Middle English to the left, current English to the right broken by ‘-‘).
al, or, al be that – though
als – as
anon – at once
artow – art thou, thou art
atte – at, at the
aventure – chance
axe – ask
ay – always
been – are
bet – better
beth – are; (imperative) be
brenne – burn but,
but if – unless
can, kan – know, be able
canstow – can you, you can
cas – happening, chance
certes – surely, certainly
clepe (n) – call
clerk – scholar
cokewold – cuckold
coy – quiet
ech – each
echo (o) n – each one
eek, eke – also
er, or – before; formerly
everich – every; every one
fay, fey – faith
forthy – therefore
fro – from
gan, gonne – began
hastow – have you, you have
hem – them
here – her
hight – named, called
him lest (list) – he wants
hir (e) – her, their
ich – I
ilke – same
kan – know, know how to; can
konne – learn; know how to; can
koude – knew; knew how to; could
kynde – nature
lasse – less
le (e) ve – dear
lite – little
lystes – jousting or tilting fields; enclosed grounds for formal combat
maistow, maystow – may you, you may
make – mate, husband, make
mo – more
moot – may, must, ought to; so (also, ever) moot I: as I hope to
morewe – morrow, morning
mowe – may
muche – much, many
nam – am not, namo, namoore, no more
nas – was not
nat – not
nathelees – nevertheless
ne – not, nor
nere – were not
nolde – would not
nones, nonys – occasion
noon – none, no
noot – know not
nyce – foolish
nys – is not
o, oo, on, oon, that oon – one
of – of; off
pardee: (lit. “by God”), a common oath – certainly
prime, pryme – 9 A.M.
quod – said
rakel – rash
rathe – early, soon
rede – advise; interpret; read
seistow – you say
sely – innocent, simple
seyde – said
seye – say
shaltow – you shall
sikerly – certainly, surely, truly
sith – since; then
somdel – somewhat
sooth, soothfastnesse, sothe – truth
swich – such
syn – since
than (ne) – then, than
thilke – this, that, at that
tho – those; then
tweye – two
unnethe – scarcely
unwemmed – undefiled
verray – true, veritable
wantrust – distrust
wene, -eth – think, thinks
whylom – once, once upon a time, formerly
wight – person, thing
yaf – gave
ycleped – named
ye – eye
yeve, -en, -est, -eth – give, given
ynogh – enough
ywis – surely, certainly
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