Hild

Glossary

æfen: six to nine in the evening

ætheling: male youth in the line of succession, prince

Anglisc: pertaining to Angles (the people, the language)

Arawn: British (wealh) underworld

baldric: wide belt for weapons worn crosswise over the shoulder

basilica: main hall of old Roman administration building

Belenos: British god

Beli Mawr: legendary British figure

Blodmonath: November

Cait Sith: black cat of British legends

ceorl: freeman

chape: tip of a scabbard, usually metal, often highly decorated

Coel Hen: fifth-century British king

cyrtel: loose, long-sleeved dress; informal

dryhten: absolute lord

ealdorman: high lord (similar to viceroy)

ell: about thirty inches

Elmetsætne: the people of Elmet

Eorðe: Anglisc goddess

etin: giant

freemartin: female calf masculinised in the womb by male twin

gemæcce: formal female friendship or partnership; one of a pair

gesith: member of a king’s personal war band; elite warrior

Gewisse: people of Upper Thames area; West Saxons

hægtes: supernatural figure; witch

Hel: Anglisc for hell, a cold place

Hrethmonath: March

Hwicce: people of the area around Worcester; Saxons

hythe: landing place or harbour

Idings: royal dynasty of Bernicia

league: about three miles

Loides: ruling tribe of British Elmet

Lyr: legendary British god

mene: valley

middæg: middle of the day, noon to three o’clock

morgen: six to nine in the morning

nithing: oath-breaker; one who is shunned

Northumbria: Bernicia and Deira

Œstremonath: April

Oiscingas: royal dynasty of Kent

pace: two strides, about five feet

principia: old Roman administrative building

redcrest: Roman

rhyne: ditch, canal

scop: Anglisc bard

seax: knife with a large, single-edged blade

selkie: mythical creature who lives as a seal in the sea but becomes human on land

sidsa: magic

Sigel: Anglisc god

Sirona: Romano-British goddess

snakesteel: pattern-welded steel

snakestone: ammonite (fossil)

Solmonath: February

thegn: lord

thung: poisonous flowers (e.g., wolfsbane)

Thunor: Anglisc god

tree hay: chopped-up brush, used as winter fodder

tufa: king’s standard

undern: nine in the morning to noon

vill: royal estate

wariangle: butcher-bird, or strike

wealh: Anglisc for “stranger” and root word of current “Welsh”

Weodmonath: August

wīc: king’s trading settlement, usually a port

wight: supernatural figure, ghost

Winterfylleth: October

Witganmot: assembly of notables, usually annual

Woden: Anglisc god

Wuffings: East Anglian royal dynasty

wyrd: fate

Yffings: Deiran royal dynasty

Yr Hen Ogledd: the Old North; kingdoms of northern England and southern Scotland