English words from Old English
6 English words with Old English in their history, whether borrowed directly or passed on through other languages.
bread
From inherited from Old English brēad.
clue
A later spelling of clew “ball of thread or yarn”, inherited from Middle English clewe, inherited from Old English clēowen (“ball, sphere; skein”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *glew- (“to…
gossip
The word is inherited from Middle English godsib (“godparent”), inherited from Old English godsibb (“sponsor, godparent”), from god “God” + sibb “related; kinsman”.
nostril
The word is inherited from Middle English nostrille, inherited from Old English nosþyrl (“nose-hole”), from nosu “nose” + þyrel “hole”. After the second element fell out of use as a word of its own…
silly
A later form of Middle English sely, seli, inherited from Old English gesǣlig (“happy, fortunate, blessed”), related to sǣl “happiness”, from Proto-Germanic *sæligas. Compare German selig…
thing
from Old English þing