Medieval History Vocabulary

noun a person who has retired to a solitary place for a life of religious seclusion; a hermit

• The anchorite spent years in solitude, seeking spiritual enlightenment.
• I heard that old man who lives in the cave is an anchorite.
• Don't be such an anchorite, come out and have some fun with us!
• In a world of constant noise and distractions, sometimes we all need to be an anchorite and find some peace within ourselves.

noun A small ring, especially one of a series used for decoration or reinforcement on a garment.

• The knight's shield featured an annulet as part of his family crest.
• I noticed the annulet design on the jewelry she was wearing.
• Check out the cool annulet on his phone case.
• The annulet of wisdom encircles the ancient tree, symbolizing eternal knowledge.

noun a person born of parents not married to each other; an illegitimate child

adjective of inferior quality or condition

• The man was rumored to be a bastard child of the king.
• I can't believe that bastard cut me off in traffic.
• That guy is such a bastard, always causing trouble.
• The difficult math problem was a real bastard to solve.

noun a deadly plague that swept through Europe in the 14th century, killing an estimated 25 million people

• The Black Death, also known as the Bubonic Plague, was a devastating pandemic that swept through Europe in the 14th century.
• Did you know that the Black Death wiped out nearly half of Europe's population during the Middle Ages?
• Man, the Black Death was no joke back in the day.
• The spread of fake news is like the Black Death of our modern era, infecting minds and causing chaos.

adjective having the appearance or characteristics of a castle; fortified

• The architect designed the building to be castellated, with turrets and battlements.
• The old castle was castellated with towers and walls.
• Check out that cool castle, it's totally castellated!
• Her mind was like a castellated fortress, guarded and impenetrable.

noun the act or process of constructing a castle

• The castle building project required meticulous planning and skilled craftsmen.
• I heard they're starting a new castle building project in the park next month.
• Let's get together this weekend and work on our castle building skills.
• His ambitious business plan was like a castle building effort, with each step carefully thought out.

noun a large building or group of buildings fortified against attack with thick walls, battlements, towers, and in many cases a moat

• The castle stood tall on the hill, a symbol of the region's rich history.
• Let's explore the castle this weekend, it's supposed to be haunted!
• That castle is lit, we should totally throw a party there.
• In her mind, the castle represented a place of safety and protection.

noun a vigorous campaign for political, social, or religious change

verb to lead or take part in a crusade

• The king led a crusade to reclaim the Holy Land from the infidels.
• The group of activists went on a crusade to clean up the neighborhood.
• She's been on a crusade to find the perfect taco in town.
• The scientist was on a crusade to prove his theory to the skeptics.

noun realm

• The demesne of the estate was meticulously maintained by the groundskeepers.
• The demesne around here is huge, it's like its own little world.
• I heard that old abandoned house is haunted, it's part of the demesne that kids dare each other to explore.
• Her demesne extended beyond just her physical property, she had a powerful presence in the community.

noun a building, usually a small house or structure, located at the entrance of a property or estate

• The gatehouse at the entrance of the estate was beautifully designed.
• Let's meet at the gatehouse before heading inside.
• I heard there's a party happening at the gatehouse tonight.
• The gatehouse symbolizes the divide between the old and new ways of thinking.

noun the actions or behavior of a knight errant

• Knight errantry was a common practice among medieval noblemen seeking adventure and glory.
• Back in the day, knight errantry was like being a superhero without the cape.
• Yo, that dude was all about that knight errantry life, always looking for quests and stuff.
• In modern times, some people see entrepreneurship as a form of knight errantry, taking risks and seeking success in uncharted territories.

noun A large country house with lands; the principal house of a landed estate.

• The manor house was a grand estate with sprawling gardens and ornate architecture.
• The manor house is where the fancy parties happen.
• That manor house is lit, bro!
• Her mind was like a mysterious manor house, full of hidden secrets waiting to be discovered.

noun a man of rank or authority

• The seigneur of the manor was responsible for collecting taxes from the peasants.
• The seigneur threw a lavish party at his estate last night.
• Yo, did you see the seigneur's new ride? It's sick!
• She was considered the seigneur of the fashion world, always setting trends.

noun A person who assesses or determines a fine or penalty in a legal proceeding

• The affeeror was responsible for determining the appropriate fines in the court case.
• I heard the affeeror is the one who sets the fines in this court.
• The affeeror is like the money guy in court, deciding how much you gotta pay.
• In a way, the affeeror acts as the judge of your wallet in legal matters.

noun a legal term referring to the act of fortifying or strengthening a castle or other structure

• The afforcement of the new law will greatly impact the legal system.
• The afforcement of these rules is really strict, huh?
• I heard they're really cracking down on afforcement in that area.
• The afforcement of boundaries in our relationship has made things clearer.