Jeff Lilly
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Jeff Lilly
@druidjournal.bsky.social
Linguist who talks to computers + creates languages. Druid wanderer writing fiction, snapping pics, and sketching dreams. He/him.
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Hello! I’m Jeff. Lo these many years I’ve explored the edges of language, storytelling, and nature. A computational linguist, writer, and Druid, I share art, stories, and musings here. Find fanfic & my novel Axon at patreon.com/user?u=100856, and my blogs at druidjournal.net and axonfirings.com.
#NewWordsDaily2025 Dec 3
#conlang
gelanem
/ɡelənəm/
Mid Eng gelanem, OE gelanem.
PGmc /ɣelanem/, PIE gʰel-,nem-.
Green + Allot.
A portion of land set aside for gardening or other small-scale agriculture.
Ex. When she was old enough, we gave Mary a small gelanem of her own for tomatoes and squash.
December 3, 2025 at 5:57 PM
#NewWordsDaily2025 Dec 2
#conlang
gislenquo
/dʒislənkwo/
Mid Eng giselinquo, OE gysalincwo.
From Proto-Germanic /ðɣjisalinkwo/, from PIE root dʰĝʰyésH₁le(n)gʷʰ-,.
Yesterday + Light.
A treasured memory; a keepsake, memento.
Ex. This locket is a gislenquo that reminds me of my first love.
December 2, 2025 at 5:14 PM
#NewWordsDaily2025 Dec 1
#conlang
rifewenth
/ɹaɪfwənð/
Mid Eng riffewinth, Old English rifawinþa.
From Proto-Germanic /ɹifawinθa/, from PIE root h1rep-H₂weH₁n̥to-.
Snatch + Wind.
A strong sail used to propel a vessel in windy, stormy weather.
Ex. Raise the rifewenth, else the storm'll swamp us.
December 1, 2025 at 8:16 PM
#NewWordsDaily2025 Nov 27
#conlang
kennaquen
/kenəkwən/
Middle English kennaquen, Old English cenacwen.
From Proto-Germanic /kenakwen/, from PIE root ĝenH₁-,gʷʰen-.
Kind + Strike.
A mercy killing, performed to bring an end to suffering.
Ex. It was supposedly a kennaquen because he was sick.
November 30, 2025 at 5:49 PM
#NewWordsDaily2025 Nov 29
#conlang
sighsinth
/saɪzənð/
Mid Eng swighzwinth, OE swihsawinþa.
PGmc /swixzawinθa/, PIE swék̂sH₂weH₁n̥to-.
Six + Wind.
All directions of space: north, south, east, west, up, down.
Ex. The veldt opened the sighsinth about us till we felt like gnats in unbounded green.
November 29, 2025 at 7:59 PM
#NewWordsDaily2025 Nov 28
#conlang
wedackt
/wedəkt/
Mid Eng wedacked, OE wedæced.
PGmc /ɣweðakeð/, PIE gwhedh-ghedh-.
Ask + Join.
Application or request to join an organization; a rite of initiation to an exclusive group.
Ex. Wedackt is both testing and training to subordinate self to the team.
November 29, 2025 at 2:16 AM
After 10 years of work, I'm delighted to offer Crown of Crows, my deeply animist fantasy about magic, language, and returning to the lands of childhood with adult eyes.

First part free:
www.patreon.com/post...

For purchase:
www.patreon.com/post...

#fantasy #ebook
Crown of Crows - Free Sample | Patreon
Get more from Jeff Lilly on Patreon
www.patreon.com
November 28, 2025 at 5:19 PM
#NewWordsDaily2025 Nov 27
#conlang
horteture
/hoɹtetʃəɹ/
Middle English hortetiure, Old English hirtatgeur.
From Proto-Germanic /xiɹtatjeuz/, from PIE root k̂erd-dyēus.
Heart + Day.
A holiday of religious significance.
Ex. Thanksgiving is, for many, both secular holiday and horteture.
November 27, 2025 at 10:47 PM
#NewWordsDaily2025 Nov 26
#conlang
molithret
/moliðɹət/
Mid Eng molitharet, OE miliþæwret.
PGmc /miliθawɹet/, from PIE meli-t,wred-.
Honey + Root.
Licorice, fennel, anise, or other sweet plants.
Ex. Afternoons we would gather dandelion, rose hips and molithret and drink the sweet tea thereof.
November 27, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Final section of Crown of Crows complete! The full book will soon be available on my Patreon.

www.patreon.com/post...

#fiction #fantasy #ebook
November 26, 2025 at 6:06 PM
#NewWordsDaily2025 Nov 25
#conlang
barsyeck
/bæɹzjək/
Middle English barssayeck, Old English barsægec.
From Proto-Germanic /vaɹzajek/, from PIE root bhars-yeǵ-.
Barley + Ice.
Beer served cold over ice.
Ex. The finest barsyeck in this neighborhood is over at the Brethewer's Rest.
November 25, 2025 at 5:46 PM
#NewWordsDaily2025 Nov 24
#conlang
yarwell
/iəɹwəl/
Mid Eng yarwell, OE igærwel.
PGmc /ijazwel/, PIE h2eyḱ-swel-.
Master + Burn.
Charged with keeping the fire lit; maintainer or reviver of old traditions.
Ex. Tolkien was the yarwell of medieval storytelling, reviving European high fantasy.
November 25, 2025 at 12:40 AM
A reader suggested an excellent improvement to my conlang's orthography. I couldn't pass it up.

https://axonfirings.com/2025/11/24/better-conlang-orthography-inspiration-from-history/
November 24, 2025 at 11:31 PM
#NewWordsDaily2025 Nov 23
#conlang
bittunth
/bitənð/
Mid Eng bettwinth, OE batawinþa.
PGmc /vatawinθa/, from PIE root bhad-H₂weH₁n̥to-.
Good + Wind.
A light, refreshing wind.
Ex. Next morning brought a bittunth from the west, shaking dew from the blossoms and lifting our spirits.
November 24, 2025 at 3:29 AM
#NewWordsDaily2025 Nov 22
#conlang
kinnamede
/kinəmid/
Mid Eng kennamede, OE cenamedu.
PGmc /kenameðu/, from PIE root ĝenH₁-,médʰu.
Kind + Mead.
Excellent food or drink offered by a kinsman; a meal shared in the family.
Ex. Many holidays feature a large kinnamede meal and family games.
November 22, 2025 at 8:12 PM
#NewWordsDaily2025 Nov 21
#conlang
craffude
/kɹævjud/
Middle English crafvude, Old English crafæfewd.
From Proto-Germanic /kɹavavewð/, from PIE root grabh-bhewdh-.
Oak + Wake.
A ceremony to bless an object (such as a wand, symbol, effigy, etc.) or infuse it with magic.
1/2
November 22, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Finally completed "Crown of Crows", the Narnia-inspired feminist fantasy I started back in 2014. Here's my first blog post about it, and a link to Patreon, where most of it is already available.

#amwriting #fantasy #fiction

axonfirings.com/2015...

www.patreon.com/coll...
Side Project: Return to Sagaia (Narnia-inspired Fantasy)
About a year ago, as I was working through the revisions of Axon, Inc., I got into an intense discussion with my brilliant and beautiful wife Ali about the Chronicles of Narnia. It’s a s…
axonfirings.com
November 21, 2025 at 11:10 PM
#NewWordsDaily2025 Nov 20
#conlang
yorwy
/joɹwi/
Middle English yorewy, Old English iræwig.
From Proto-Germanic /iɹawijz/, from PIE root ḱerh2-weys-.
Mix + Sprout.
A salad made of fresh young greens.
Ex. Top the meal off with a broccoli and arugula yorwy with mustard vinaigrette.
November 20, 2025 at 10:32 PM
#NewWordsDaily2025 Nov 19
#conlang
beffaclack
/befəklak/
Mid Eng beffraclack, OE befuraclæc.
From Proto-Germanic /vevɹuzaklak/, from PIE root bʰébʰrus-glag-.
Beaver + Milk.
The fruit of industriousness and hard labor.
Ex. Riches shall be the beffaclack for his effort and the sweat of his brow.
November 19, 2025 at 8:41 PM
#NewWordsDaily2025 Nov 18
#conlang
sevmathar
/sevməðəɹ/
Mid Eng sefthmathar, OE sefþmæfþer.
PGmc /sefθmavθeɹ/, from PIE root septḿ̥-pH₂tér-.
Seven + Father.
A way of referring to seven generations, or an indeterminately long time.
Ex. A diamond is made of pressure, charred ember, and sevmathar.
November 18, 2025 at 11:52 PM
#NewWordsDaily2025 Nov 17
#conlang
crinndaul
/kɹaɪndɔəl/
Middle English crinndawel, Old English crindægel.
From Proto-Germanic /kɹinðaɣel/, from PIE root ghrendh-gʰel-,.
Beam + Green.
The deep vibrant green of a forest in summer.
Ex. Her gown was of crinndaul silk, the shade of July woods.
November 17, 2025 at 7:33 PM
#NewWordsDaily2025 Nov 16
#conlang
wainthattam
/waɪnθæətəm/
Mid Eng weenthattam, OE winþaatama.
PGmc /winθaatama/, PIE H₂weH₁n̥to-domo-,.
Wind + Home.
The direction from which the wind is blowing.
Ex. The wainthattam stood north by northwest, and blew bitter as we launched the skiff that morning.
November 16, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Reposted by Jeff Lilly
Hello #conlang and #neography enjoyers!
Today i am proud to announce that I finally reached 100 roots in Ūgzána (only 750 more to go...)

To celebrate, I made a tiny animation, which should have been longer, but After Effects chose to not be helping, and kept crashing so i gave up.
November 15, 2025 at 7:31 PM
#NewWordsDaily2025 Nov 15
#conlang
dobador
/dobədəɹ/
Middle English deopadoar, Old English deopædoer.
From Proto-Germanic /ðewpaðweɹ/, from PIE root dhewb-dhwer-.
Deep + Door.
A mine entrance. Also, figuratively, a grave, or death.
Ex. Who has gazed w'out a shudder 'pon that dubadur at day's end?
November 15, 2025 at 6:21 PM
#NewWordsDaily2025 Nov 14
#conlang
sweffamur
/swefəməɹ/
Mid Eng sweffamur, OE swefamur.
From Proto-Germanic /swefamuz/, from PIE root swep-muH₁s-.
Sleep + Mouse.
A night so still and quiet that even the mice are asleep.
Ex. They chose a sweffamur for their heist, during the dark of the moon.
November 14, 2025 at 4:05 PM