Quizzes

Only Masters of English Know What These Old Words Mean...

How well do you think you'd do when trying to decipher the English that our great-grandparents used? Take this language quiz and find out!

David B. 3/24/2020

You might feel that you're competent when communicating in everyday English, but how well do you think you'd do when trying to decipher the English that our great-grandparents used? This quiz will test your knowledge of some of the most interesting yet peculiar English words that have fallen out of common use. Give it a go, and see how well you fare!

What does this archaic noun mean?

A horse

A stool

A sword

What does this archaic noun mean?

A thief

A dairy maid

A banker

What does this archaic noun mean?

A singer

An optimist

A violin

What does this archaic adjective mean?

Untreatable

Urgent

Furious

What does this archaic noun mean?

A minor lord

A puppy

A teaspoon

What does this archaic noun mean?

A farmer

A husband

A bridegroom

What does this archaic noun mean?

A giraffe

A camel

A leopard

What does this archaic noun mean?

A parrot

An alcoholic drink

An illicit affair

What does this archaic noun mean?

Revelry

Silence

Dissatisfaction

What does this archaic noun mean?

A total coward

An armchair

A flagpole

What does this archaic noun mean?

An old woman

A fishing boat

A politician

What does this archaic noun mean?

A mistress

Smallpox

A radio

What does this archaic noun mean?

A prison for petty offenders

An arranged marriage

An area where only women can enter

What does this archaic noun mean?

Baldness

Glibness

Piety

What does this archaic noun mean?

Handcuffs

Trousers

Cutlery

We Sense Some Archaic Anguish...

What a shame! Your results show us that you're not entirely familiar with some of the older and most outdated words in the English language. Of course, this isn't really a problem at all, since nobody really uses these words anymore... However, if you'd like to start learning plenty of fascinating archaic words, then there's really no better place to start than with our timeless friend, William Shakespeare. If you enjoyed this quiz, then don't forget to share it with your friends and family to see how they fare!

You're an Archaic Ambassador!

Pretty good show! While you didn't quite pass this test with flying colors, you answered enough questions correctly to show us that you're more-or-less familiar with many peculiar archaic words. If you want to further expand your knowledge of archaic words and phrases, then we'd recommend getting stuck into some historical novels or leafing through works of poetry from ages long gone by. If you enjoyed this quiz, then don't forget to share it with your friends and family to see how they fare!

You're a Legendary Linguist!

Absolutely outstanding! Your impressive result shows us that you're highly familiar with all aspects of the English language, especially when it comes to words which are no longer in use. Either that, or you're just very, very lucky! If you've got some spare time on your hands, you might want to try writing an old sonnet or even a historical novel, since you've certainly got the necessary vocabulary to pull to off. Don't forget to share this quiz with your friends and family to see if they're anywhere near as eloquent as you are!