Only Masters of English Know What These Old Words Mean...

You might feel that you're competent when communicating in everyday English, but how well do you think you'd do when trying to decipher the English that our great-grandparents used? This quiz will test your knowledge of some of the most interesting yet peculiar English words that have fallen out of common use. Give it a go, and see how well you fare!
'steed' on old parchment
 
 
What does this archaic noun mean?
A horse
A stool
A sword
'larcener' on old parchment
 
 
What does this archaic noun mean?
A thief
A dairy maid
A banker
'melodist' on old parchment
 
 
What does this archaic noun mean?
A singer
An optimist
A violin
'immedicable' on old parchment
 
 
What does this archaic adjective mean?
Untreatable
Urgent
Furious
'lordling' on old parchment
 
 
What does this archaic noun mean?
A minor lord
A puppy
A teaspoon
'husbandman' on old parchment
 
 
What does this archaic noun mean?
A farmer
A husband
A bridegroom
'camelopard' on old parchment
 
 
What does this archaic noun mean?
A giraffe
A camel
A leopard
'popinjay' on old parchment
 
 
What does this archaic noun mean?
A parrot
An alcoholic drink
An illicit affair
'wassail' on old parchment
 
 
What does this archaic noun mean?
Revelry
Silence
Dissatisfaction
'poltroon' on old parchment
 
 
What does this archaic noun mean?
A total coward
An armchair
A flagpole
'gammer' on old parchment
 
 
What does this archaic noun mean?
An old woman
A fishing boat
A politician
'doxy' on old parchment
 
 
What does this archaic noun mean?
A mistress
Smallpox
A radio
'bridewell' on old parchment
 
 
What does this archaic noun mean?
A prison for petty offenders
An arranged marriage
An area where only women can enter
'glabriety' on old parchment
 
 
What does this archaic noun mean?
Baldness
Glibness
Piety
'darbies' on old parchment
 
 
What does this archaic noun mean?
Handcuffs
Trousers
Cutlery
funny man with quill and paper
We Sense Some Archaic Anguish...
What a shame! Your results show us that you're not entirely familiar with some of the older and most outdated words in the English language. Of course, this isn't really a problem at all, since nobody really uses these words anymore... However, if you'd like to start learning plenty of fascinating archaic words, then there's really no better place to start than with our timeless friend, William Shakespeare. If you enjoyed this quiz, then don't forget to share it with your friends and family to see how they fare!
Medieval aristocrat
You're an Archaic Ambassador!
Pretty good show! While you didn't quite pass this test with flying colors, you answered enough questions correctly to show us that you're more-or-less familiar with many peculiar archaic words. If you want to further expand your knowledge of archaic words and phrases, then we'd recommend getting stuck into some historical novels or leafing through works of poetry from ages long gone by. If you enjoyed this quiz, then don't forget to share it with your friends and family to see how they fare!
quill, parchment and seals
You're a Legendary Linguist!
Absolutely outstanding! Your impressive result shows us that you're highly familiar with all aspects of the English language, especially when it comes to words which are no longer in use. Either that, or you're just very, very lucky! If you've got some spare time on your hands, you might want to try writing an old sonnet or even a historical novel, since you've certainly got the necessary vocabulary to pull to off. Don't forget to share this quiz with your friends and family to see if they're anywhere near as eloquent as you are!
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