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
Examples of Old English in a Sentence
Old English is very different from modern English.
Recent Examples on the Web
Addressing this through the framework of crime fiction—laced with surreal doses of Old English and Celtic folklore—produces a fascinating hybrid that is Miller’s alone.
—
Lisa Henricksson, Air Mail, 23 Aug. 2025
The Old English name has continued to rise in popularity since then, reaching its peak in 2014.
—Marilyn La Jeunesse, Parents, 8 Aug. 2025
Hair-raising accounts of a similar sea monster were recorded by Alexandrian scribes as early as the second century A.D.; these accounts spread through Europe and Asia in Arabic, Coptic, Latin and Old English translations.
—Nina Goldman, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 June 2023
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Lisa Henricksson, Air Mail, 23 Aug. 2025
The Old English name has continued to rise in popularity since then, reaching its peak in 2014.
—Marilyn La Jeunesse, Parents, 8 Aug. 2025
Hair-raising accounts of a similar sea monster were recorded by Alexandrian scribes as early as the second century A.D.; these accounts spread through Europe and Asia in Arabic, Coptic, Latin and Old English translations.
—Nina Goldman, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 June 2023
Cite this Entry
“Old English.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Old%20English. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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