“Swagger” and 23 More Words Invented By Shakespeare

Do you ever wonder if William Shakespeare was ever called Billy by his mates? Or would he even like to have been called Billie with an -ie ending? Or Willy on special occasions? Anyway, if you happen to know what quirky nicknames this Sweet Swan of Avon went by, please slide into our DMs and share.

Shakespeare is highly recognized for his literary works, which contain roughly 20,000 words in total. About 1,700 of those words are believed to have been “invented” by the great Bard of Avon. While these words may have already been in use, Shakespeare was the first to record them. These terms have since become foundations of many common English words.

Words Popularized by The Bard

• Lonely: Feeling sad due to lack of companionship — Coriolanus
• Kissing: Touching with the lips — Love's Labour's Lost
• Puppy dog: A young dog — King John
• Skim milk: Milk free from any cream and fat — Henry IV Part 1
• Zany: A clown or acrobat in old comedies — Love's Labour's Lost
• Fashionable: Trendy — Troilus and Cressida
• Eyeballs: Eyes — As You Like It
• Frugal: Thrifty or economical — Merry Wives of Windsor
• Pell-mell: In a frenzied rush — Love’s Labour’s Lost
• Swagger: To walk or behave with extreme confidence — Henry V
• Bedazzled: To impress someone; bright sunlight — The Taming of the Shrew
• Accommodation: Settlement or adjustment — Measure for Measure
• Dire: Very serious — Comedy of Errors
• Pedant: Someone who emphasizes unnecessary details — Twelfth Night
• Critical: Likely to give harsh judgments — Othello
• Dawn: Sunrise — Henry V
• Alligator: A large reptile — Romeo and Juliet
• Lackluster: Dull — As You Like It
• Modest: Humble — Coriolanus
• Undress: To remove clothes — The Taming of the Shrew
• Bandit: A robber — Henry VI
• Dauntless: Fearless — Henry VI
• Anchovy: A type of small fish — Henry IV
• Auspicious: Something favorable — Love’s Labour’s Lost