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Hamlet vocabulary words from Shakespeare's play

This collection gathers vocabulary words that appear throughout Shakespeare's Hamlet, from the court of Elsinore to Hamlet's famous soliloquies. It's meant for students reading the play in class or working through a study guide on their own. Use it to build confidence with Shakespeare's language before diving into the full text.

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Hamlet vocabulary words from Shakespeare's play

30 words
WordMeaningIn a sentenceSave
fouladjectiveExtremely unpleasant, especially in smell, taste, or quality.A foul smell drifted from the trash cans left out in the summer heat.
melancholynounA deep, thoughtful sadness, often without an obvious cause.A gentle melancholy settled over her as she packed up her childhood home.
perturbedadjectiveWorried, unsettled, or bothered by something.Ravi looked perturbed when the map no longer matched the path.
calumnynounA false and malicious statement made deliberately to damage someone's reputation.The senator dismissed the accusations as calumny spread by his political rivals.
contumelynounInsolent or scornful language and treatment intended to humiliate someone.He bore the crowd's contumely in silence rather than respond to their insults.
fardelsnounHeavy burdens or bundles carried on one's back; figuratively, the hardships and troubles of life.The peddler trudged along the road, his fardels of cloth weighing down his shoulders.
perniciousadjectiveHaving a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or not immediately obvious way.The pernicious rumor slowly damaged her reputation long before anyone traced its source.
wantonadjectiveDeliberate and without any justifiable reason, especially describing cruel or destructive behavior.The court condemned the wanton destruction of protected wetlands for the new development.
usurpernounA person who seizes a position of power or authority without legal right.The soldiers proclaimed the general a usurper after he forced the king from his throne.
prologuenounAn introductory section of a book, play, or other work that provides context before the main story begins.The novel's prologue reveals a murder that the rest of the book slowly explains.
eulogynounA speech or piece of writing that praises someone, especially one who has recently died.His daughter delivered a moving eulogy at the funeral.
anticnounA playful, mischievous, or extravagant act, usually used in the plural to describe a series of such behaviors.The puppy's antics kept the whole family laughing during dinner.
apparitionnounA ghostly or unexpected figure that appears suddenly, often seeming supernatural.Guests at the old inn swore they saw an apparition drifting through the hallway at midnight.
auspiciousadjectiveShowing signs that something is likely to succeed; favorable or promising.Winning the first contract was an auspicious start to the new business.
bequeathverbTo leave property or money to someone through a will, or more broadly to pass something on to a successor.Her grandmother bequeathed the old farmhouse to her three grandchildren after she passed away.
carrionnounThe decaying flesh of dead animals, typically eaten by scavengers.Vultures circled overhead, waiting to feed on the carrion left by the lion's kill.
countenancenounA person's facial expression or the general look of their face.Her calm countenance revealed nothing of the anxiety she felt inside.
diademnounAn ornamental headband or crown worn as a symbol of royalty or high honor.The queen wore a jeweled diadem during the coronation ceremony.
dirgenounA slow, mournful song or poem expressing grief, traditionally performed at a funeral.The choir sang a somber dirge as the coffin was carried out of the church.
filialadjectiveRelating to, or appropriate to, the relationship of a son or daughter to a parent.He visited his aging mother every Sunday out of a strong sense of filial duty.
harbingernounA person or thing that signals the approach of something else, often before it fully arrives.The first robin of spring is often seen as a harbinger of warmer weather.
hoodwinkverbTo deceive or trick someone, often through clever or dishonest means.The con artist hoodwinked several investors into funding a company that never existed.
impotentadjectiveLacking the power, strength, or ability to act effectively or achieve a desired result.The council felt impotent to stop the flooding despite weeks of emergency meetings.
incestuousadjectiveInvolving sexual relations between close relatives, or, more broadly, marked by excessively close and self-serving relationships.The ancient myth describes an incestuous marriage between siblings who ruled the kingdom together.
knavenounA dishonest or unprincipled man.The old story warned children never to trust a knave who flatters too easily.
obsequiousadjectiveExcessively eager to please or obey someone, often in an insincere or servile way.The obsequious waiter praised every choice we made, hoping for a bigger tip.
orisonnounA prayer, especially one spoken formally or with solemnity.The monk knelt each evening to recite his orisons before the small stone altar.
portentousadjectiveSeeming to warn of a significant, often ominous, event about to happen.A portentous silence fell over the crowd just before the storm broke.
prodigaladjectiveSpending money or resources in a recklessly wasteful and extravagant way.The prodigal heir spent his entire inheritance on parties within a single year.
sepulchernounA small room or vault used for burial, especially one built into a wall or cut from rock.Pilgrims still visit the ancient sepulcher believed to house the remains of the saint.

Why Hamlet's vocabulary feels so different

Shakespeare wrote Hamlet using early modern English, so many words carry meanings that have shifted or faded from everyday use. Terms like wanton, contumely, and fardels once described betrayal, insult, and burden, but readers rarely meet them outside the play. Learning this vocabulary in context makes Hamlet's speeches, especially his soliloquies, far easier to follow and appreciate.

Frequently asked questions

Is this list from an official Hamlet study guide?

No, it's an independent selection of vocabulary that appears in the play, not a publisher's official study guide or answer key.