Wordbook

Glossary of Definitions

Angelcynn, Angelfolc (Old English) - noun
The English people; the Anglo-Saxons. Seemingly referred not only to the Angles themselves but also to Saxons, Jutes and Frisians who migrated to Britain alongside them.

Angles (English); Ængle, Engle (Old English) - noun, plural
One of the major Germanic tribes or tribal confederations which migrated to Britain ca. 400AD, founding several kingdoms across the north, east and midlands of England. 

Anglo-Saxon (English) - noun; adjective
Used to refer to the inhabitants of England from ca. 400AD until ca. 1100AD, as well as their language and culture. 

ASH (English) - noun, acronym
Anglo-Saxon Heathenry; used to refer to the pre-Christian pagan religion of Anglo-Saxon era England as well as contemporary reconstruction of this religion. 

Ænglaland, Englaland (Old English) - noun
Land of the Angles; England.

Ænglisc, Englisc (Old English) - noun, adjective
The Old English language; pertaining to the Angles; English. Saxons, Jutes and Frisians living in Britain during the Anglo-Saxon era seem also to have spoken the Ænglisc and to have been described by the adjective Ænglisc.

Ásatrú (Icelandic) - noun
Literally meaning “loyalty to/faith in the æsir” in both Icelandic and Old Norse, commonly used to refer to Germanic paganism, with particular reference to Norse paganism. 

blōt, geblōt (Old English); blót (Old Norse) - noun   
Meaning “sacrifice” or “offering”, used to refer to the libation or other object that is offered as a sacrifice to a deity or deities within a ritual. Also commonly used to refer to the ritual itself.

 

elf (English); ælf, elf, ylf (Old English); alfr (Old Norse) - noun
A type of supernatural entity. 

ēse (Old English); æsir (Old Norse) - noun, plural
One of the two clans of gods, alongside the vanir referenced in Old Norse sources. Also sometimes used to refer to the gods generally in an over-arching fashion, regardless of clan affiliation. 

ettin (English); eoten (Old English); jǫtunn (Old Norse) - noun, singular
Commonly translated as “giant”, a member of a supernatural race with which the gods sometimes have dealings. In Old Norse sources, some jǫtnar are allied with the æsir and vanir, but many are opposed to them. 

Frisians (English); Frisan, Frysan, Fresan (Old English) - noun, plural
One of the major Germanic tribes or tribal confederations which migrated to Britain ca. 400AD. No known kingdoms established in Britain at this time are considered to be Frisian; it is possible that Frisian settlers were integrated into Anglian, Saxon and Jutish kingdoms.

fuþorc, futhorc (English) - noun, acronym
The Anglo-Saxon or Anglo-Frisian runic writing system, used to write the Old English and Old Frisian languages before adoption of the Latin alphabet. The term comes from the sounds represented by the first six characters of the writing system; feoh, ūr, þorn, ōs, rād and cēn.

fuþark, futhark (English) - noun, acronym
Commonly used to refer to the elder fuþark, the runic writing system of the proto-Germanic language, as well as to the younger fuþark, the runic writing system used as an alternative to the Latin alphabet in writing the Old Norse language. The term comes from the sounds represented by the first six characters of each writing system; *fehu/fé, *ūruz/ūr, *þurisaz/þurs, *ansuz/áss, *raidō/reið and *kenaz/kaun.

*Fyrnsidu (reconstructed Old English) - noun
Literally meaning “former custom/tradition” or “ancient custom/tradition”; used to refer to Anglo-Saxon paganism.

Heathen (English) - noun
One who does not follow an Abrahamic religion; a pagan, with particular reference to Germanic paganism. 

Heathenry; Heathenism; Heathendom (English) - noun
The state of being a Heathen, or the religion of Heathens, with particular reference to Germanic paganism.

Jutes (English); Ēotas, Īotas (Old English) - noun, plural
One of the major Germanic tribes or tribal confederations which migrated to Britain ca. 400AD, founding kingdoms in Kent, the Isle of Wight, and parts of Hampshire.

ōs (Old English); áss (Old Norse) - noun
A god, a member of the ēse. Also the name of the fourth rune of the Anglo-Frisian runic fuþorc.

Saxons (English); Seaxe, Seaxan (Old English) - noun, plural
One of the major Germanic tribes or tribal confederations which migrated to Britain ca. 400AD, founding several kingdoms across the south of England. 

Theodism (English) - noun, see þēod
A branch of Anglo-Saxon paganism focussing on organisation into theods with defined tribal structure and leadership. 

þēod (Old English) - noun
People; tribe; nation.

þyrs (Old English); þurs (Old Norse) - noun
A monster; a giant. In Old Norse sources, þurs seems to be synonymous with jǫtunn but has a ubiquitously negative connotation. 

vanir (Old Norse) - noun, plural (singular member, vanr)
One of the two clans of gods, sometimes perceived as secondary to the æsir. No Old English cognate of vanir is attested, but suggested reconstructions include *wæne, *wēn and *uuani, with wanes as a modern anglicisation used by some. 

wēoh (Old English) - noun
An idol or sacred image.

wēofod (Old English) - noun
An altar or shrine; structure on which a wēoh is situated.

*wēofodsidu (reconstructed Old English) - noun
Literally meaning “wēofod custom” or “wēofod practice”; commonly used to refer to private practice at a shrine within one’s home as opposed to public or group practice outdoors or within a temple. 

wight (English); wiht (Old English); vættr (Old Norse) - noun
A creature or entity. Typically used to refer to supernatural entities, lesser than gods, of varying natures and dispositions which may receive blōt, such as land-wights.