This is a list of English words inherited and derived directly from the Old English stage of the language. This list also includes neologisms formed from Old English roots and/or particles in later forms of English, and words borrowed into other languages (e.g. French, Anglo-French, etc.) then borrowed back into English (e.g. bateau, chiffon, gourmet, nordic, etc.). Foreign words borrowed into Old English from Old Norse, Latin, and Greek are excluded, as are words borrowed into English from Ancient British languages.
A
a aback abaft abeam abear abed abide abiding ablaze aboard abode about above aboveboard abovesaid abraid abreast abroad abuzz accursed accursedly ach ache aching ack acknowledge acknowledging acorn acre addeem adder addle ado adrift adwesch adze afar afeared afford affright afield afire afloat afoot afore aforesaid aforethought afoul afresh aft after afterbear afterbody afterburthen aftercare aftercast afterclap aftercrop afterflow afterglow aftergrowth afterhand afterheat afterhind afterlife afterlook aftermath afterpeak aftershaft aftershock aftershow aftertale afterthought afterward afterwise afterwit again against aghast aglow ago aghast aground ahead ahem ail ailing ait ajar akimbo akin albeit almighty almost alone already alright also although altogether always always alwhite alack alder alderman ale alehouse alewife alight (v) alight (adj) alike alit alive all allay along alongside aloud am amain amaze amazing amid amidst amiss among amongst an and anent anew ankle anklet anneal anon another answer answering ant anteater anthill antsy anvil any anybody anyhow anyone anything anyway anywhere ape apple are aright arise arisen arising arm (anatomical) armpit arm "poor, pitiful" arrow arrowhead arrowsmith arse arsehole arseling as asea ash ashcan ashy ash (Bot.) ashen ashamed ashore aside ask asking asleep aspen astern astir astride asunder at ate athel atheling atop attercop atwitter auger aught (something) aught (zero) auld awake (v) awake (adj) awaken awakening awoke awoken aware awareness awash away awe awhile awl awry axe axle aye (yes)
B
babble babe baby back backbiting backbone backdrop backfill backfire background backhand backing backlash backside backslide backstab backstabber backward backwash backwater backwood bad badder baddest bade baff baffle baffling bairn bake baker bakery bald bale baleful balk ball ballroom ballast ballock bally bam ban (v) ban (n) band (ties) bane bank (mass, heap) bann bare barebone barefoot barehanded bareheaded barely bark (v) barley barm barmy barn barnboard barnful barnlike barnyard barroom barrow (wheelbarrow) barrow (mound) bass (fish) bast batch bath bathe bathing bathhouse bathroom batman battlefield battleship baulk be beach beacon bead beadle beady beam bean beanery bear (v) bearing bear (n) bearish beard beat beaten beater beating beaver beck beckon becloud become became becoming bed bedbug bedding bedridden bedrock bedroom bedstead bedeen bedizen bee beehive beekeeper beech beefeater beek been beer beetle (n) beetle (v) befall befang befit befitting before beforehand befoul befriend befuddle beg beggar beget begat begotten begin began beginner beginning begun begone begripe behalf behave behavior, behaviour behead behelm behest behind behold beheld beholden behoof behoove, behove being (n) belated belay belch belead beleave belie belief believe believer belittle belive "to remain" bell bellboy bellhop bellow bellowing bellows bellwether belly bellyache bellyful belong belongings beloved beltway bemoan bench benchmark bend bender beneath benight bent bent (bent-grass) benumb bequeath bequest bereave bereft berry berth beseech besought beseeching beset beshield beshrew beside besom bespeak bespoke bespoken bespeckled bespoke (made to order) best bestest bestir bestow bestowing bestride bet betide betimes betoken betroth betrothed better between betwixt beware bewilder bewildered bewitch beyond bid bidden bidding bide bier big bight bill (beak) billboard billfold bind binder binding bindle bindweed bine binge birch bird birdkeeper birdling birdlore birdman birdnest birdsong birdsweet birdwalk birdwoman bit bitch bitchy bite bit bitten bitter bitterness bittersweet bitsy bitty blab blabber black blackball blackberry blackbird blackhead blacklist blackmail blacksmith bladder blade blain blare blaring blast blasted blatant blaze (fire) blazer (jacket) blazing bleach bleacher blear bleat blee "colour" bleed bleeding (n) blench blend blender bless blessed, blest blessing blew blight blighter blind blinded blindfold blindness blind blindside blink blinkered blinker bliss blissful blithe blithesome blizzard blob blockhead blood bloodbath bloodcurdling bloodfed bloodfin bloodheat bloodhound bloodleaf bloodless bloodletting bloodlike bloodloss bloodlust bloodmeal bloodshed bloodsoaked bloodshot bloodstone bloodstroke bloodstream bloodsucker bloodsucking bloodthirsty bloodwood bloodwort bloody bloom blossom blow blowfish blowhole blown blubber blubbering blur blurry blurt blush boar board boarder boardroom boardwalk boat boating boatload boatswain bob (v) bobble bobcat bod bode bodice bodily bodkin body bodyship bodywork bogeyman boil (cyst, tumor) bold boll bollock bolster bolt (noun) bombshell bond bondman bone bonebed boned bonehead boneheaded boneless bonelessness bonemeal boner bonesetter boneshaker boneyard bony bonfire book bookish bookkeeper booklet bookmark bookshelf bookstaff bookstave bookstore bookworm boom (v) boot (profit, use) bootless bore bored boredom boring born borne borough borrow bosom bottleneck bottom bottomer bottomless bough bought boughten bound (tied, fastened) bourn (small stream) bout bow (v) bow (n) bower bowl bowler (hat) bowtie box (strike blows) boxer boxing boy boyish boysenberry braid brain brainchild brainstem brainstorm brainwash brainwashing brainy bramble brand branding brash brass brassy braze (to cover with brass) brazen breach bread breadbasket breadberry breadcrumb breadnut breadroom breadstick breadwinner breadth break breaker (wave) breakfast breakneck breakthrough breakwater breast breastbone breastfeed breastfeeding breastless breastmilk breaststroke breastwork breath breathe breather breathless breathtaking breech breed breeder brew brewery briar bride bridegroom bridesmaid bridewell bridge bridle brier bright brighten brightly brightness brightwork brim brimful brimming brimstone brinded brindle brindled brine bring brinkmanship briny bristle bristly britch brite brittle bro broad broadcast broaden broadside broadsword broke brood brooding broody brook (small stream) brook (tolerate, endure) broom broomstick broth brothel brother brotherhood brotherless brotherly brought brow browbeat brown brownfield brownie bruise brunch brung bub bubble bubbly buck buckboard buckeye buckshot buckskin bucktooth bucket bud buddy bugbear build builder building buildup built bulkhead bull bulldoze bulldozer bullfinch bullheaded bullish bullock bullpen bullshit bulrush bum (buttocks, bottom) bumble bumblebee bunch bunt burd burden burdensome burly burn burner burnout burnup burrow burst burthen bury bush bushy business businessman businessy businesswoman bust (burst) bustle busy busyness but butt (end) butterfly buttermilk butternut butthole buttock button buxom buy buyer buzz by bye (sporting) bye (good-bye) bygone bylaw byre bystander byspel byword
C
cade cadge cadger calf calve call callow cammock can (v) cannot can (n) cannery canny care careful carefully caregiver careless carelessness caretaker careworn caring cart cartwheel carve cat catbird catcall caterwaul cattail catwalk catchword chafer (beetle) chaff chaffinch chaffer chalk chap (v) chapman chapbook char (chore) charwoman char (burn) charcoal chare charlock chary chat chatty chatter chaw cheap cheddar cheek cheeky cheep cherry chest chestnut chew chick chicken chickenlike chickenman chickenpox chickenwort chide chiffon chifforobe chilblain child children childbearing childcare childhood childish childlike chill chilly chime (rim of a barrel) chin chinbone chink (slit) chip chippy chirp chirpy chit chitchat chode choke chomp choose chose choosy chop (cut) chopper chopstick chore chuckle churl churlish churn cinder clad clam clamber clammy clamp clap clapboard claptrap clash clasp clatter claw clay clean cleanliness cleanse cleansing cleanup clearinghouse cleat cleave (split) cleaver cloven cleave (stick to) cleft clench clever clew cliff cliffhanger climb climber clinch clincher cling clingy clink clip (fasten) clipboard clockwise clockwork clod clodhopper clot cloth clothe clothes clothespin cloud cloudburst cloudy clout clove (wedge of garlic) clover clowder cluck clue clueless clump cluster clutch (clench) clutter coal coalfield coalfired coaming coattail coax cob cobble (n) cobblestone cobble (v) cobbler cock (bird) cockerel cockpit cocktail cocky cock (penis) cock (pile) cock (v) cockeyed cod codger coke cold collard collie collier colliery colt coltish comb come cometh comeback comely comer commingle con (study) cook cookout cool coolant cooler coolness coolth coot cop (v) copper (v) cop (n) cop (mass of thread) cop (spider) cobweb copper copperhead coppern coppery core (disputed) corn cornbread cornhusker cornmeal cornstarch cot (hut) cote cotquean cough could couth cove cow cowbell cowbird cowheel cowherd cowherder cowleech cowlick cowlike cowling cowman cowmilk cownose cowpox cowl coxcomb crab crabfish crablike crabling crabstick crabwise crack crackdown cracker crackle crackpot cradle craft craftless craftlike craftsman craftsome crafty cram cranberry crane crank crankshaft crap crash crave cravings craw creak creep creeper creepy cress crestfallen crib crick crimp cringe cringeling cringemaking cringeworthy cringey crinkle cripple croak crock crockery croft crop cropfield cropland cropper cross crossbow crossover crossroad crow (n) crowbar crow (v) crowd crud crumb crumble crumby crummy crumpet crumple cruise crutch cubbyhole cud cuddle cudgel cum cun cunning cunt cup cupboard curd curdle curl curly curse cuss cut cutoff cutpurse cutter cutthroat cuttlefish
D
dab dabble dad daddy daffy daft daily dairy daisy dale dam damp dampen dander (dandruff) dandruff dandy dare dark darken darkling darkness darling darn (conceal a hole) dashboard dat daughter daw dawdle dawg dawn day daybreak daydream daylight daytime dead deadbeat deaden deadlock deadly deadpan deadweight deadwood deaf deafen deafening deal dealer dear dearborn dearie dearth deary death deathbed deathly deathwatch deed deem deemed deep deepen deeply deer deft deftly delf delftware dell delve den dene dent depth derby derth desktop dew dewlap dewy dey dibble dibs dick did diddle didst die ( < AS *dīegan) diehard dig (ME diggen ?< AS dīcian) digs dike dill dim dimmer dimwit dimple din dingle dingy dinky dint dip distaff ditch dither dive dizzy do docket dodder dodge doe doff dog dogdom dogfight dogfish dogger doggerel dogless doglike dogshore dogspeak dogtooth dogvane dogwatch dogwood doldrum dole doleful dollop dolt don doom doomer door dot dough doughboy doughnut doughty dove (n) dove (v) dow down (adv) down (n) downbeat downcast downer draft draftsman drag dragnet drain drake (male duck) drat draught draw drawback drawbridge drawdown drawer drawhook drawing drawn drawth dray dread dreaden dreadful dreadless dreadnought dreadsome dream dreamer dreaming dreamless dreamlike dreamt dreamy dreary drench drew dribble drift drifter driftful drifting driftless driftway driftweed driftwood drink drip drive drivel drizzle drone drool drop droplet dross drought drove (n) drove (v) drown drowsy drudge drudgery drunk drunkard druther dry dub duck (bird) duck (v) ducky dud dugout dull dumb dumbbell dumbfound dumbfounded dumbledore dummy dun (v) dun (adj) dung dusk dust dustball dustbath dustbathe dustcloud dustheap dusthole dustless dustlike dustman dustmite dustmote dustpan dustsheet duststorm dustwoman dusty dwarf dwell dweller dwelling dwindle dye dying
E