Research Guides: Shakespeare: Language

Internet Resources

Shakespeare's Words
William Shakespeare is credited with the invention or introduction of over 1,700 words that are still used in English today.
15 Words Invented by Shakespeare
The 452nd anniversary of William Shakespeare’s birth is coming. He is not only known as a timeless playwright, but also as a prolific inventor of words. Although modern researchers have found that some words originally attributed to him, such as puke, have earlier sources, there are still many that hold up today as Shakespeare’s creations according to the Oxford English Dictionary.
Learn about Shakespeare's contributions to the English language
The History of English in Ten Minutes.

This video shows us that Shakespeare invented over 2000 new words and phrases like eyeball, anchovy and puppy.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMkuUADWW2A

Turns out William Shakespeare can be credited for the invention of thousands of words that are now an everyday part of the English language.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL50cBCjxLc

Take a look at the life of one of the most celebrated authors of all time, legendary wordsmith William Shakespeare, in this video.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUHEPo_g0AQ