This glossary collects 40 Shakespearean words and meanings in plain modern English, the words you will actually meet in the plays, grouped by theme so you can learn them in context. Every entry gives the meaning and a real example line, so you can see each word working in a sentence. If you have ever wondered what “prithee” means, what “hark” means in Shakespeare, or why Juliet says “wherefore,” this is the page that answers all of it in one place.
Quick Answer
The most-searched Shakespearean words and meanings are: prithee (please, or “I pray thee”), hark (listen), wherefore (why, not where), anon (soon, at once), ere (before), and fain (gladly). Most Shakespearean vocabulary falls into a few hundred such words, and learning the 40 below covers the great majority of what confuses modern readers.
How to Read This Glossary
Each word is shown with its common Shakespearean meaning and a short example. Meanings given here are the senses Shakespeare uses most often; a few of these words had other senses too, but the one below is the one you will meet in the plays. Words marked with an asterisk have shifted meaning since Shakespeare’s time, so the modern lookalike is a trap.
Everyday Words
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| anon | Soon, at once, in a moment | “I will be with thee anon.” I will be with you shortly. |
| ere | Before | “Ere the sun rises.” Before the sun rises. |
| hither | To here, toward this place | “Come hither, boy.” Come here, boy. |
| thither | To there, toward that place | “Go thither and wait.” Go there and wait. |
| whence | From where | “Whence camest thou?” Where did you come from? |
| whither | To where | “Whither goest thou?” Where are you going? |
| hence | From here, away | “Get thee hence!” Get away from here! |
| oft | Often | “I have oft heard it said.” I have often heard it said. |
| nigh | Near, close | “The night is nigh.” The night is near. |
| yonder | Over there, in the distance | “What light through yonder window breaks?” What light breaks through that distant window? |
| betwixt | Between | “Betwixt love and duty.” Between love and duty. |
| sith | Since, because | “Sith thou wilt not stay.” Since you will not stay. |
| eftsoons | Soon after, shortly | “He came eftsoons.” He came shortly after. |
| presently* | Immediately, at once (not “in a little while”) | “I will come presently.” I will come immediately. |
| mark | Listen to, pay attention to | “Mark what I say.” Listen to what I say. |
| tell* | Count | “Tell the stars.” Count the stars. |
| prevent* | Go before, anticipate (not “stop”) | “He came to prevent the dawn.” He arrived before the dawn. |
| wot | Know | “I wot not what to do.” I know not what to do. |
Exclamations and Oaths
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| fie | Shame! An exclamation of disgust | “Fie upon thee!” Shame on you! |
| alack | Alas, an exclamation of sorrow | “Alack, poor Yorick!” Alas, poor Yorick! |
| forsooth | Truly, indeed | “Forsooth, it is so.” Truly, it is so. |
| marry | Indeed! A mild oath (from “Mary,” the Virgin) | “Marry, sir, you are right.” Indeed, sir, you are right. |
| zounds | God’s wounds, a strong oath | “Zounds, I was never so bethumped!” A shocked exclamation. |
| soft | Be quiet, wait a moment | “But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?” Quiet a moment, what light is that? |
| gramercy | Thank you (from French “grand merci”) | “Gramercy, good fellow.” Thank you, good fellow. |
| beshrew | Curse on, a mild curse | “Beshrew me!” Curse me! (said in surprise) |
| hark | Listen! | “Hark, the herald angels sing.” Listen, the herald angels sing. |
Love, Courtesy, and Address
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| prithee | Please (from “I pray thee”) | “Prithee, tell me true.” Please, tell me the truth. |
| beseech | Beg, earnestly ask | “I beseech thee, stay.” I beg you, stay. |
| fain | Gladly, willingly | “I would fain go with thee.” I would gladly go with you. |
| perchance | Perhaps, by chance | “Perchance he will come.” Perhaps he will come. |
| mayhap | Maybe, it may happen that | “Mayhap the king is ill.” Maybe the king is ill. |
| wherefore* | Why (not “where”) | “Wherefore art thou Romeo?” Why are you Romeo? |
| coz | Cousin, used as a friendly address | “How now, coz?” How are you, friend? |
| sirrah | Mister, used to inferiors or youths | “Come hither, sirrah.” Come here, young man. |
| good morrow | Good morning | “Good morrow to thee.” Good morning to you. |
| fare thee well | Goodbye (travel well) | “Fare thee well, my friend.” Goodbye, my friend. |
| adieu | Goodbye (from French, “to God”) | “Adieu, adieu, remember me.” Goodbye, goodbye, remember me. |
| mistress* | An unmarried young woman, a lady (not the modern sense) | “Good mistress, hear me.” Good lady, hear me. |
| knave | A dishonest man, a rogue; also a boy servant | “Thou art a knave.” You are a rogue. |
How to Use These Words Yourself
- Start with five. Learn prithee, hark, anon, ere, and wherefore first. These five appear constantly, and knowing them removes the biggest stumbling blocks.
- Watch the asterisked words. “Wherefore,” “silly,” “naughty,” “presently,” and “prevent” look familiar but meant something different. When a line makes no sense, check whether a familiar word is the culprit.
- Read the example aloud. Saying “Prithee, tell me true” out loud teaches the word faster than staring at the definition.
- Write with them. Drop three or four of these into a paragraph and read it back. Our guide on how to write like Shakespeare shows you how to build full sentences around them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does prithee mean?
“Prithee” means “please.” It is a contraction of “I pray thee,” so “Prithee, tell me true” means “Please, tell me the truth.” It was the everyday polite word of Shakespeare’s time.
What does hark mean in Shakespeare?
“Hark” means “listen!” It is a call for attention, as in “Hark, the herald angels sing” (Listen, the herald angels sing). Shakespeare uses it to snap characters, and the audience, to attention.
What does wherefore art thou mean?
“Wherefore” means “why,” not “where.” When Juliet says “Wherefore art thou Romeo?” she is asking “Why are you Romeo, a Montague?” She knows exactly where he is; she is lamenting his family name.
How many words did Shakespeare invent?
Scholars credit him with around 1,700 new words and phrases, including “eyeball,” “fashionable,” “bedroom,” “lonely,” “gossip,” and “cold-blooded.” Many words people assume are ancient are actually his coinages.
What is the easiest way to learn Shakespearean vocabulary?
Learn the 40 words on this page, starting with the five most common: prithee, hark, anon, ere, and wherefore. Then read one play with the glossary beside you. Our Shakespeare to English translator can decode any line that still puzzles you.
Is Shakespearean English hard to learn?
Less hard than it looks. The grammar is close to modern English, the pronouns follow one chart, and the vocabulary is only a few hundred words. Most learners read comfortably after a few weeks of steady practice. Start with our plain guide to what Shakespearean English is.
Keep building: master the pronouns with our thou, thee, thy, thine chart, practice writing with how to write like Shakespeare, play with the insult generator and compliment generator, and translate full passages with our Shakespeare translator.