Sunday, April 24, 2016

The puking Olympian (and other Shakespearian inventions)





Words Shakespeare Invented

The English language owes a great debt to Shakespeare. He invented over 1700 of our common words by changing nouns into verbs, changing verbs into adjectives, connecting words never before used together, adding prefixes and suffixes, and devising words wholly original. Below is a list of a few of the words Shakespeare coined, hyperlinked to the play and scene from which it comes. When the word appears in multiple plays, the link will take you to the play in which it first appears. For a more in-depth look at Shakespeare's coined words, please click here



academeaccusedaddictionadvertisingamazement
arouseassassinationbackingbanditbedroom
beachedbesmirchbirthplaceblanketbloodstained
barefacedblushingbetbumpbuzzer
cakedcaterchampioncircumstantialcold-blooded
compromisecourtshipcountlesscriticdauntless
dawndeafeningdiscontentdisheartendrugged
dwindleepilepticequivocalelbowexcitement
exposureeyeballfashionablefixtureflawed
frugalgenerousgloomygossipgreen-eyed
gusthinthobnobhurriedimpede
impartialinvulnerablejadedlabellackluster
laughablelonelylowerluggagelustrous
madcapmajesticmarketablemetamorphizemimic
monumentalmoonbeammountaineernegotiatenoiseless
obsceneobsequiouslyodeolympianoutbreak
panderspedantpremeditatedpukingradiance
rantremorselesssavageryscufflesecure
skim milksubmergesummitswaggertorture
tranquilundressunrealvariedvaulting
worthlesszanygnarledgrovel




YEE-HAW! Even though I significantly reformatted this thing so I could post it on my antiquated blog, it's still interactive, meaning if you click on ANY of the above words, it'll take y'all to a very lengthy quote in which the word is featured, nay, COINED, by Shakespeare himself. Not quite as cool as the one with the bird calls, but close.