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What are 5 words that Shakespeare invented?

Author

Noah Mitchell

Published Jan 08, 2026

15 Words Invented by Shakespeare

  • Bandit.
  • Critic.
  • Dauntless.
  • Dwindle.
  • Elbow (as a verb)
  • Green-Eyed (to describe jealousy)
  • Lackluster.
  • Lonely.

How many words have Shakespeare invented?

William Shakespeare is credited with the invention or introduction of over 1,700 words that are still used in English today.

What is the first word ever invented?

The word is of Hebrew origin(it is found in the 30th chapter of Exodus). Also according to Wiki answers,the first word ever uttered was “Aa,” which meant “Hey!” This was said by an australopithecine in Ethiopia more than a million years ago.

Who invented the word alligator?

Technically, yes, William Shakespeare invented the word alligator. It is a modified and anglicized version of the Spanish words el lagarto, meaning...

How do you say yes in Shakespeare?

“Aye” simply means “yes”. So, “Ay, My Lady” simply means “Yes, My Lady.” Although the word “wish” does appear in Shakespeare, like when Romeo says “I wish I were a cheek upon that hand,” we often find “would” used instead. For example, “I would I were …” means “I wish I were…”

17 related questions found

What does Measle mean in Shakespeare?

"Stinking" is fairly obvious. " Nook-shotten," according to the definition provided by the book, means "Full of nooks and angles; confusing, deceptive." And "Measle," as you may expect, means "Disease; diseased wretch."

How do you say my in Shakespearean?

My, mine; thy, thine; difference between. Mine, my. Thine, thy. The two forms, which are interchangeable in E. E. both before vowels and consonants, are both used by Shakespeare with little distinction before vowels.

Did Shakespeare coin an alligator?

That's right, folks. William Shakespeare invented the word “alligator.” Before Romeo and Juliet, these fearsome reptiles were referred to by their Spanish name, “aligartos.” Without old Will, we might have been cheering “Come on Gartos; get up and go!” every Saturday in the Swamp.

Where does the word lizard come from?

Most lizards live in deserts or jungles, however the word lizard comes from the Latin lacertus, which means “sea fish” — perhaps because they look like a monster that crawled out of the ocean.

What are the 23 oldest words?

Science Says These are the Oldest 23 Words in the English...

  1. Thou. The singular form of "you," this is the only word that all seven language families share in some form. ...
  2. I. Similarly, you'd need to talk about yourself. ...
  3. Mother. ...
  4. Give. ...
  5. Bark. ...
  6. Black. ...
  7. Fire. ...
  8. Ashes.

What's the oldest English word?

According to a 2009 study by researchers at Reading University, the oldest words in the English language include “I“, “we“, “who“, “two” and “three“, all of which date back tens of thousands of years.

Who created English?

Having emerged from the dialects and vocabulary of Germanic peoples—Angles, Saxons, and Jutes—who settled in Britain in the 5th century CE, English today is a constantly changing language that has been influenced by a plethora of different cultures and languages, such as Latin, French, Dutch, and Afrikaans.

What is alligator French?

grand crocodile, le ~ (m) Noun. alligator, le ~ (m) Noun.

When was the word alligator first used?

alligator (n.)

The modern form of the English word is attested from 1620s, with unetymological -r as in tater, feller, etc. (Alligarter was an early variant) and an overall Latin appearance.

How do you say shut up in Shakespeare?

“O,speak to me no more;these words like daggers enter my ears. (a fancy way of saying SHUT UP!)" — William Shakespeare "hamlet”

What say thou?

Thou is an old-fashioned, poetic, or religious word for 'you' when you are talking to only one person. It is used as the subject of a verb.

How do you say thank you in Elizabethan English?

In Shakespeare's day there was a distinction. For example it would make no sense to say "I thank thee" to a group of people. Instead you would have to say "I thank ye" (familiar form) or "I thank you" (polite form).

Is Romeo and Juliet a real story?

The story is, indeed, based on the life of two real lovers who lived and died for each other in Verona, Italy in 1303. Shakespeare is known to have discovered this tragic love story in Arthur Brooke's 1562 poem entitled “The Tragical History of Romeo and Juliet”.

How old is Shakespeare today?

William Shakespeare's exact age would be 458 years 18 days old if alive. Total 167,299 days.

What are the Shakespeare Top 10 facts?

10 Things You Didn't Know About William Shakespeare

  • Shakespeare's father held a lot of different jobs, and at one point got paid to drink beer. ...
  • Shakespeare married an older woman who was three months pregnant at the time. ...
  • Shakespeare's parents were probably illiterate, and his children almost certainly were.