Elizabethan Vocabulary
It helps to be familiar with several vocabulary words when reading or listening to Shakespeare. The following is a list of some of the more common Elizabethan words and their definitions.
Anon |
until later |
Arise (as a pun) |
stand up or to get an erection |
Aroint |
away |
Aside |
a short speech revealing the character's innermost thought, spoken directly to the audience |
Aye/yea |
yes |
Banns |
notice of intent to marry |
Beef |
meat or prostitute |
Broadside |
a sheet of paper printed on one side often used for proclamations and ballads |
Certes! |
certainly! |
Cousin |
friend |
Dear |
significant or expensive |
E'en |
evening |
Enow |
enough |
Fare-thee-well |
goodbye |
Fie |
a curse |
Fond |
foolish |
Get |
to create or bring into existence |
Grammarcy |
thank you |
Green |
inexperienced or a color or virility |
Head |
army or source |
Hello! |
not a greeting, but an exclamation of surprise |
Jade |
jewel or prostitute |
Marry |
a mild curse contracted from “by the Virgin Mary” |
Mayhap/perchance/belike |
maybe |
Morrow |
day |
Nay |
no |
Ne'er |
never |
Nice |
trifling or silly |
Oft |
often |
Poppet |
a doll or child |
Prithee/pray |
please |
Privy, jakes, or ajax |
bathroom or john |
Rub |
to strike against something or an obstacle |
Sad |
serious |
Sonnet |
a fourteen-line poem with an iambic pentameter |
Stay |
to wait |
Still |
always |
Sweeting |
a term of endearment |
Ta'en |
short form of taken or mistaken for |
Tell |
to count |
Thane |
a Scottish earl |
Verily |
very or truly |
Wherefore |
why |

