Words of Chivalry: A Glossary of Medieval English: For Authors, Writers, Poets, Researchers, and Admirers of the Medieval Time Period

If you are conducting research for your writing, or just want to enjoy a piece of history and the romance of Camelot, this guide is for you. There are many other reasons to polish up your medieval vocabulary. If you are a writer, you cannot expect your characters to speak modern. It would not do for the Knights of the Round Table to speak like rappers. “Yo Lancelot dawg. Wassup?” or ladies in distress to sound like the modern socialite, “I was so… Eeeew! Dragon breath get some mouthwash!”

But you do not need to be a writer or even a poet to appreciate medieval words. You just need to love the age. And who doesn’t? It was the age when men were knights and women fair maidens. When honor was fought over in dueling jousts. It was an age of chivalry and courtliness. It was also an age of intrigue and corruption. The most grievous evil co-existed with the most upright good. A time of battles and skirmishes, clash of wills and armies. Few are the boys who have not pretended to be daring knights riding fiery warhorses, charging an implacable enemy. Few girls have not imagined themselves as princesses waiting for a dashing warrior in shining armor to rescue them. It was the age of heroes.

It is therefore no wonder then that even centuries later, the medieval age is an almost inexhaustible source of inspiration. From the Game of Thrones, Knight’s Tale to Dragon Heart, countless Hollywood hits and bestsellers have been based on this age. And it is easy to predict that this trend will continue for at least decades to come.


When I set out to write this book, I will have to admit, I was but indulging my passion for the language of this period. Researching and compiling these terms was more pleasure than work. However, that does not detract (another medieval word) from the general usefulness of this book. Consider this not just as a glossary of medieval terms but as a valuable resource for researchers, writers, poets, playwrights and medieval maniacs. It is designed not just to tell you the meaning of the words but also to provide a conduit of rich insights into this age. It is through its language that the medieval age comes alive yet again. It is through these words that kings and princes, dukes and knights walk the earth all over again. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I did writing it.

Here’s wishing you an amazing medieval fantasy.