A quick-reference glossary of the words most commonly encountered in Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets. For a fuller explanation of pronouns, verb forms, and how the language works in context, see the Archaic Words Guide.
Pronouns and Possessives
You (singular, informal) — “Thou art fair”
You (object form) — “I give this to thee”
Your — “thy beauty”
Yours / your (before vowels or used independently) — “thine eyes”
You (plural or formal) — “hear ye this”
Yourself — “know thyself”
Your own — “thine own heart”
Common Verb Forms
Are — “thou art kind”
Have — “thou hast spoken”
Has — “he hath arrived”
Do — “why dost thou speak?”
Does — “the lady doth protest”
Will — “wilt thou go?”
Shall — “thou shalt not”
Were — “thou wert brave”
Had — “thou hadst known”
Did — “thou didst see”
Common Archaic Words
Soon, shortly, at once — “I will come anon”
Anything — “if aught be wrong”
Yes — “ay, I agree”
To beg earnestly — “I beseech thee”
Between — “betwixt two choices”
Before — “ere night falls”
Gladly, willingly — “I would fain go”
In truth, indeed — “forsooth, it is so”
Perhaps, by chance — “haply I think on thee”
From here, away — “go hence”
To here — “come hither”
An exclamation: indeed, why, to be sure — “marry, it is so”
It seems to me — “methinks the lady doth protest too much”
Nothing — “all for naught”
No — often strengthening or correcting a preceding statement
Often — “oft I think of thee”
Perhaps — “perchance to dream”
Please, I pray thee — a polite request
From there — “came thence”
To there — “go thither”
From where — “whence came this?”
Why — not “where.” “Wherefore art thou Romeo” means “why are you Romeo”
To where — “whither goest thou?”
Words With Changed Meanings
These words still exist in modern English but meant something different in Shakespeare’s time. They are among the most commonly misread words in the plays.
Then: skilful, artful. Now: fake.
Then: inspiring awe, reverential. Now: terrible.
Then: fine, splendid. Now: courageous.
Then: full of grief, anxious. Now: attentive, cautious.
Then: foolish, naive. Now: affectionate.
Then: suspicious. Now: envious.
Then: to hinder or obstruct. Now: to allow.
Then: wicked, evil. Now: mildly misbehaving.
Then: foolish, wanton, or overly particular. Now: pleasant.
Then: immediately. Now: soon.
Then: to come before, to anticipate. Now: to stop.
Then: serious, grave, firm. Now: unhappy.
Then: harsh, dangerous, severe. Now: clever.
Then: innocent, helpless, deserving of pity. Now: foolish.
Social and Courtly Terms
A person who attends the royal court
A dishonest or unscrupulous man — “thou art a knave”
A feudal lord — “my liege”
A dismissive or contemptuous form of address to a man of lower status
A ruler or monarch — also used as an adjective meaning supreme
Insults
Shakespeare’s insults are among his most inventive uses of language. Many are compound constructions unique to his plays.
Stupid, blockheaded
Dull-witted
Cowardly — the liver was thought to be the seat of courage
A kitchen servant — used as a term of contempt
A strong general-purpose insult — literally “son of a whore,” but used like a modern expletive
Contractions and Elisions
Short forms used to fit the meter or speed up speech.
It is
It was
It were
Even
Never
Over
In the — counts as two syllables in scansion
For a fuller explanation of how these words work in context, see the Archaic Words Guide and the Grammar and Syntax Guide.
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Editors of WShakespeare.com. "Shakespeare Glossary: Archaic Words and Meanings." WShakespeare.com, 2026, https://www.wshakespeare.com/reference/shakespeare-glossary-archaic-words/. Accessed June 25, 2026.
APA
Editors of WShakespeare.com. (2026). Shakespeare Glossary: Archaic Words and Meanings. WShakespeare.com. Retrieved June 25, 2026, from https://www.wshakespeare.com/reference/shakespeare-glossary-archaic-words/