Old English

noun

1

a

: the language of the English people from the time of the earliest documents in the seventh century to about 1100 see Indo-European Languages Table

b

: English of any period before Modern English

2

: black letter

Examples of Old English in a Sentence

Old English is very different from modern English.

Recent Examples on the Web

And indeed, the Old English verb that’s used to describe the way the verse is delivered by the glee-man is singan, to sing. — Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026

In the time of Old English (5th to 11th centuries), acting according to one’s rank and station was simply expected. — Valerie Fridland, Time, 26 Oct. 2026

Afford comes from the Old English geforðian, meaning to advance, move forward, carry out a task. — Richard Yanowitch, Mercury News, 29 July 2026

The duffel bag was adorned with the All-Star Game logo and there was an Old English D on each end. — CBS News, 12 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Kids Definition

Old English

noun

: the language of the English people before about 1100