7 Old English Words Hiding in Your Everyday Vocabulary

The English language has undergone a variety of developments and evolutions over the centuries, and a surface-level comparison between Old English and modern English might appear to reveal more differences than similarities. 

Old English is the term used to refer to the form of English spoken from the 5th to the 11th century. By the end of this period, elements of French began to be introduced following the Norman Conquest of 1066, and this ushered in the period now known as Middle English. 

Some words used in Old English have now disappeared completely, but others have endured, and the legacy of the OE period is very much present in the vocabulary of today. It has been estimated that more than 50% of the words that were most frequently used in Old English continue to exist in some form in contemporary English.

It should be noted that some words which exist in both Old English and modern English do not always have the same meaning. For example, “rice” existed in OE but was not used to refer to cereal grain the way it is today: instead, “rice” as a noun in OE was used to refer to a kingdom, and was also sometimes used as an adjective that meant “powerful.” 

However, many other words have survived with their original meanings intact, albeit with slight variations in spelling in many cases. Here is a look at several Old English words that are still used in everyday English.

1. Cat (“catt”)
2. Cool (“cōl”)
3. Friend (“frēond”)
4. Night (“niht”)
5. Often (“oft”)
6. Sun (“sunne”)
7. Water (“waeter”)

Cat (“catt”)

This is one of a number of Old English words that have remained relatively unchanged over the years. The word cat was sometimes spelled “catt” or “catte,” which is still remarkably similar to what we use to describe feline friends today. 

Cool (“cōl”)

Another Old English word referring to the natural world that is similar in modern English, the word “cool” (as used to refer to colder temperatures) was “cōl” in pre-conquest England.

Friend (“frēond”)

Just as friendships hope to endure, so the word for “friend” has likewise remained close to its Old English origins over the centuries. As with others on this list, the spelling is slightly different, but it remains relatively close to what was used in Anglo-Saxon times.

Night (“niht”)

The word for “night” is another that originated in the Old English period. Over the years, it acquired a “g” in the middle, but is still clearly recognizable. The related term “day” also derives from Old English, although the original spelling of “daeg” is slightly more distant from today’s spelling than “night” is from “niht.”

Often (“oft”)

In contrast to some of the other words on this list, “often” is a rare example of a contemporary English word that is longer than its Old English ancestor. “Oft” was used in Old English in the same way that “often” is utilized today.

Sun (“sunne”)

The word used today to refer to the sun is very close to the one used by the Anglo-Saxons, though over the centuries, it has lost a couple of letters, going from “sunne” to “sun.” Still, the root has stayed the same.

Water (“waeter”)

It has been noted that many words that have survived in similar forms to their Old English counterparts refer to aspects of the natural world. As with “sunne” and “sun,” the OE word for “water” is very close to its modern equivalent, with the slight variation in being spelled “waeter.”