20 Old English Words We Should Bring Back (With Examples)
Ancient English words like apricity (the warmth of the sun in winter) and overmorrow (the day after tomorrow) fell out of use, but they name everyday things…
Ancient English words like apricity (the warmth of the sun in winter) and overmorrow (the day after tomorrow) fell out of use, but they name everyday things modern English struggles to say in one word. Reviving them is fun and surprisingly practical. Why describe "the day after tomorrow" in three words when one will do? Below are 20 forgotten words worth bringing back, grouped by what they describe, each with its meaning and an example so you can start using them today.
Why bring back old words?
English drops words all the time, and many that vanished were genuinely useful. They disappeared not because we stopped needing the idea, but because fashion moved on. A word like apricity names a specific, pleasant feeling that we now describe with a clumsy phrase. Reviving these words gives you a precise, memorable way to say something, and it is a small pleasure to use a word almost no one has heard.
A quick note on accuracy. Several of these words are rare, regional, or archaic, and their exact meanings can vary between sources and centuries. Treat the definitions here as the commonly cited senses, and check a dictionary before using one in formal writing, since a few sit on the edge of standard English.
Words for feelings and states
These describe moods, comforts, and conditions that everyone recognizes but few can name in a single word.
Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
Apricity | the warmth of the sun in winter | "We sat by the window to enjoy the apricity." |
Clinomania | an excessive desire to stay in bed | "Cold mornings fuel my clinomania." |
Crambazzled | worn out or prematurely aged | "After the long hike, we were completely crambazzled." |
Lethologica | the inability to recall a word | "I have a case of lethologica; what is his name again?" |
Respair | fresh hope after a period of despair | "The sun broke through, bringing a sense of respair." |
Curglaff | the shock of plunging into cold water | "The loch gave me a proper curglaff." |
Words for people and behaviour
Some of the best forgotten words describe character, the kind of people we still meet but no longer have a crisp name for.
Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
Snollygoster | a shrewd, unprincipled person, especially a politician | "That snollygoster would sell his values for a vote." |
Scripturient | having a strong urge to write | "She grew scripturient after her travels." |
Groke | to stare silently at someone while they eat | "Stop groking, it is unsettling." |
Callipygian | having well-shaped buttocks | "The statue was notably callipygian." |
Snudge | to move in a humble or sneaky manner | "He snudged into the room, avoiding attention." |
Words for actions and habits
These name the small things people do, often the lazy or idle ones, with a precision modern English lacks.
Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
Fudgel | to pretend to work while doing nothing | "He is a master of the fudgel." |
Twattling | idle gossip or chatter | "Enough twattling, let us get to work." |
Brabble | to argue loudly about something unimportant | "They brabbled over which film to watch." |
Grufeling | to lie wrapped up snugly for warmth | "The cat was grufeling by the fire all afternoon." |
Lunting | walking while smoking a pipe | "Granddad went lunting in the garden." |
Quomodocunquize | to make money by any means possible | "He is always trying to quomodocunquize with side gigs." |
Words for time, nature, and everyday things
A few of these are the most practical of all, because they replace whole phrases we use constantly.
Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
Overmorrow | the day after tomorrow | "Let us meet overmorrow instead." |
Yesterfang | a catch or gain from the previous day | "We will reheat the yesterfang for dinner." |
Elflock | tangled hair, as if knotted by elves | "Her hair was a mess of elflocks this morning." |
The five most useful revivals
If you only adopt a handful, start with the words that fill a real gap in everyday speech. These five do the most work because each replaces a clumsy phrase with a single word.
Word | Replaces the phrase |
|---|---|
Overmorrow | "the day after tomorrow" |
Apricity | "the warmth of the sun on a cold day" |
Lethologica | "that feeling when you cannot recall a word" |
Fudgel | "to look busy while doing nothing" |
Crambazzled | "completely worn out" |
How to start using a forgotten word?
A rare word only sticks if you use it. Pick two or three that genuinely fit your life, write a sentence with each, and slip one into a conversation or a message this week. Because these words are unusual, a little practice goes a long way. If you are writing a piece that features them, our readability checker helps you keep the surrounding sentences clear so the old word stands out without confusing the reader, and the word counter tracks your length as you write. For curious word lovers, the syllable counter is a fun way to hear the rhythm of a mouthful like quomodocunquize.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does apricity mean?
Apricity means the warmth of the sun on a cold winter's day. It is a rare English word recorded from the 1620s and listed in some dictionaries, describing a specific, pleasant feeling that modern English can only express with a longer phrase.
Is overmorrow a real word?
Yes. Overmorrow is an old English word meaning the day after tomorrow. It has fallen out of common use, but it once paired with "yesterday" and "tomorrow" as a natural part of the calendar. Many languages still have a single word for this idea, which is why it feels worth reviving.
What is the word for forgetting a word?
Lethologica is the inability to recall a specific word you are reaching for, the "tip of the tongue" feeling. It comes from Greek roots and is a rare term rather than a clinical diagnosis, but it captures a very common experience neatly.
Are these ancient words still in dictionaries?
Some are, and some are not. Words like apricity and snollygoster appear in major dictionaries, while others are regional, archaic, or recorded only in historical sources. Their meanings can vary between references, so it is worth checking a dictionary before using one in formal writing.
What is the difference between Old English and archaic words?
Old English is the language spoken in England before about 1150 and is unreadable to modern speakers without study. Most words in this list are archaic or obsolete rather than truly Old English, meaning they are recognizable but have fallen out of everyday use over the last few centuries.
Why did these useful words disappear?
Words usually fade because of fashion, not need. Shorter or more familiar alternatives take over, regional words lose their region, and a term tied to an old practice, like lunting, fades with the practice itself. The idea often survives even when the word does not.
Sources
Definitions in this guide follow commonly cited senses from dictionary and word-history references, including Merriam-Webster, which lists apricity, and historical and regional word collections. Because several of these words are rare or archaic and their meanings vary between sources, confirm any you plan to use in a current dictionary such as the Oxford English Dictionary.
