mind that dates are approximate and that the information here may not apply to all versions of English.
The evolution of the English language is characterised by three phases. The first period dates from approximately 450 (the settlement of the Angles, Saxons and Jutes in England) to 1066 AD (the Norman Conquest). At this time the language made use of almost full inflexion, and is called Anglo-Saxon, or more exactly Old English. The second period dates from the Norman Conquest to probably c.1400 (though some books differ on when this period ends) and is called Middle English. During this time the majority of the inflections disappeared, and many Norman and French words joined the language because of the profound influence of the Anglo-Norman ruling class. The third period dates from about 1400 to today (2006), and is known as Modern English, though until recently it was called New English. During the Modern English period, thousands of words have been derived by scholars from the Classical languages.
The impact of dictionaries in the definition of obsolescent or archaic forms has caused the standardisation of spelling, hence many variant forms have been consigned to the dustbin of history.
List of archaic English words and their modern equivalents
Original word
Origin
Meaning
Example
Comments
art
form of the verb 'to be', from Old English eart
present second-person singular form of the verb be.
... Who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry? (Psalm 76:7)
used in Biblical/Shakespearian/poetical language
astonied
past participle of 'astony' from Middle English astonien estoner * extonare = 'to thunder '
to stun, amaze, or astonish; astound or bewilder
... and I sat astonied unitl the evening sacrifice. (Ezra 9:4)
used in Biblical/Shakespearian/poetical language
betwixt
from Old English betweohs or dative betweoxum (Between)
between
... He shall lie all night betwixt my breasts. (Song of Solomon 1:13)
used in Biblical/Shakespearian/poetical language, also used in some Southern and Appalachian dialects of the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries. /Td>
bilbo
From Bilbao, Spain, the best known place of manufacture
an obscure and seldom used word for a short sword
Bilbo is the Basque word for Bilbao. (Bilbo Baggins is a fictional character.)
bobbish
from bob move up and down, dance, rebound +-ish
brisk, well
Used in 1860s
Bouncable
unknown by smelliness
a swaggering boaster
Used in 1860s
Bridewell
from the London prison of that name
a prison
Used in 1860s (and in common current use in Nottingham where the police station attached to the Magistrates 'Court is called The Bridewell)
caddish
from the noun cad
wicked
the noun 'cad' is dying out
cag-mag
unknown
decaying meat
Used in 1860s
chalk scores
unknown
a reference to accounts of debt, recorded with chalk marks
Used in 1860s
coddleshell
unknown
codicil; a modification to one's legal will
Used in 1860s
Coiner
unknown
a counterfeiter
Used in 1860s
connexion
From French "Connexion"
variant spelling of connection
Imagination could conceive almost anything in connexion with this place. (At the Mountains of Madness, by H.P. Lovecraft)
Used in the 19th century
