Definitions

In A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare mentions a lot of words that might not be recognizable to many people today. To be sure, some of them are more familiar than others. From common to rare, we've compiled all these words into a neat little list for you - how many can you recognize?

BY QUINN HETHERINGTON

Birds

Plants

Other

References

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BIRDS

MND III.i.124

Cuckoo

A largely grayish-brown European bird (Cuculus canorus) that is a parasite given to laying its eggs in the nests of other birds which hatch them and rear the offspring.

MND III.i.123

Finch

Any of numerous passerine songbirds (families Fringillidae, Estrildidae, Emberizidae, and Cardinalidae) having a short stout usually conical bill adapted for crushing seeds.

MND I.i.184

Lark

Any of a family (Alaudidae) of chiefly Old World ground-dwelling songbirds that are usually brownish in color.

MND I.ii.78

Nightingale

An Old World flycatcher (Luscinia megarhynchos synonym Erithacus megarhynchos) that has a brown back, a reddish tail, and cream or white underparts and that is noted for the sweet usually nocturnal song of the male.

MND III.i.118

Ouzel Bird

A common thrush (Turdus merula) of Eurasia and northern Africa having an orange bill and eye rim.

MND III.i.123

Sparrow

Any of a genus (Passer of the family Passeridae) of small chiefly brownish or grayish Old World oscine songbirds that include some which have been widely introduced.

MND I.ii.77

Sucking Dove

Another name for a baby pigeon or dove that still has downy feathers; a symbol for gentleness.

MND III.i.120

Throstle

Any of numerous small or medium-sized passerine birds (family Turdidae and especially subfamily Turdinae) which are mostly of a plain color often with spotted underparts and many of which are excellent singers.

PLANTS

MND II.i.3 / MND II.i.252

Briar (Eglantine)

A plant (such as a rose, blackberry, or greenbrier) having a usually woody and thorny or prickly stem.

MND III.i.161

Dewberries

Any of several sweet edible berries related to and resembling blackberries.

MND I.i.185

Hawthorn

Any of a genus (Crataegus) of spring-flowering spiny shrubs or small trees of the rose family with glossy and often lobed leaves, white or pink fragrant flowers, and small red fruits.

MND IV.i.41

Honeysuckle

Any of a genus (Lonicera of the family Caprifoliaceae, the honeysuckle family) of shrubs with opposite leaves and fragrant tubular flowers rich in nectar.

MND III.i.162

Mulberries

Any of a genus (Morus of the family Moraceae, the mulberry family) of trees with an edible usually purple multiple fruit that is an aggregate of juicy one-seeded drupes.

MND II.i.252

Musk Rose

A rose (Rosa moschata) of the Mediterranean region with white flowers, having a musky odor.

MND II.i.250

Nodding Violet

Also known as streptocarpella, a tropical perennial found in moist, warm, and humid forests of Africa and is part of the large Gesneriaceae family, which includes African violets and the well-known Cape primroses.

MND II.i.250

Oxlip

A Eurasian primula (Primula elatior) having usually yellow flowers.

MND I.i.215

Primrose

Any of a genus (Primula of the family Primulaceae, the primrose family) of perennial herbs with large tufted basal leaves and showy variously colored flowers.

MND IV.i.12

Thistle

Any of various composite flowering plants (especially genera Carduus, Cirsium, and Onopordum) that have prickles on their leaves and sometimes on their stems and often have showy heads of tubular, usually purple flowers.

MND II.i.249

Wild Thyme

A perennial thyme (Thymus serpyllum) that is common on banks and hillsides in Europe and naturalized in the U.S. and spreads by creeping stems.

MND II.i.251 / MND IV.i.41

Woodbine

Some species of honeysuckle (see above), particularly Eurasian twining shrub (Lonicera periclymenum); can also refer to Virginia Creeper (pictured)

OTHER

MND II.i.23

Changeling

A child secretly exchanged for another in infancy, something often attributed in folklore to mischievous fairies.

MND II.i.2

Dale

Another term for valley or vale.

MND III.i.163

Honey-Bag

A distension of the esophagus of a bee in which honey is elaborated.

MND I.i.183

Lode-Star

A star, especially the Pole Star, used as an aid in navigation.

MND II.i.83

Mead

An archaic term for meadow.

MND II.i.11

Robin Goodfellow / Puck

A trickster figure in English folklore with both good and bad connotations. His name is a reference to the fact that fairies were often referred to as 'the good people', as they were thought to love flattery.

REFERENCES

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Briar (Eglantine)

Image: Korsakov, Artem. Sweet Brier Plant, 2022. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/sweet-brier-plant-10952327/

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/briar

Changeling

Image: Fuseli, Henry. Der Wechselbalg (The Changeling), 1781. Public Domain. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8773305

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/changeling

Cuckoo

Image: Pathan, Rajukhan. Close-Up of Cuckoo Bird on Wire, 2025. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-of-cuckoo-bird-on-wire-33146259/

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cuckoo

Dale

Image: Berishvili, Temo. Herd of Animals on Grass Field Near Mountains, 2018. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/herd-of-animals-on-grass-field-near-mountains-1574843/

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dale

Dewberry

Image: Ayşin. Close-up of Unripe Blackberry Branch, 2022. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-of-unripe-blackberry-branch-13134806/

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dewberry

Finch

Image: Andrews, Veronika. House Finches Perched on Lichen-Covered Branch, 2025. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/house-finches-perched-on-lichen-covered-branch-32681460/

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finch

Hawthorn

Image: K, Gosia. Close-up of White Hawthorn Blossoms in Spring, 2025. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-of-white-hawthorn-blossoms-in-spring-32112020/

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hawthorn

Honey-Bag

Image: Smith, Kat. Yellow Bumblebee Gathering Pollen Close-up Photography, 2017. Pexels.

https://www.pexels.com/photo/yellow-bumblebee-gathering-pollen-close-up-photography-551622/

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/honey%20bag

Honeysuckle

Image: Inouye, Madison. Selective Focus Photo of Orange Honeysuckle Flowers, 2018. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/selective-focus-photo-of-orange-honeysuckle-flowers-1054019/

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/honeysuckle

Lark

Image: Keats, Derek. Close-up of Lark in Natural Habitat, 2017. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-of-lark-in-natural-habitat-32632629/

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lark

Lode-Star

Image: Piwnicki, Marek. Calm, 2021. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/calm-17880230/

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lodestar

Mead

Image: Spiske, Markus. Untitled, 2016. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/landscape-nature-sky-clouds-132259/

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mead

Mulberry

Image: Minh Nhựt, Njay. Close-up of Ripe Mulberries on Lush Green Leaves, 2025. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-of-ripe-mulberries-on-lush-green-leaves-33912818/

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mulberry

Musk Rose

Image: Moro, Andrea. Untitled, 2007. Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi di Trieste. https://dryades.units.it/floritaly/index.php?procedure=taxon_page&tipo=all&id=1986
Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/musk%20rose

Nightingale

Image: Vogel, Gundula. Nightingale Singing on a Spring Branch, 2025. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/nightingale-singing-on-a-spring-branch-31885651/

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nightingale

Nodding Violet

Image: Nzfauna. Streptocarpella in a hanging basket, 2012. CC BY-SA 3.0. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19924836

Definition: “Streptocarpella: The Houseplant That Flowers All Year.” Piedmont Master Gardeners, piedmontmastergardeners.org/article/streptocarpella-the-houseplant-that-flowers-all-year/

Ouzel

Image: MPF. Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus torquatus, male, at 635 m on Cairngorm, Scotland, 2016. CC BY-SA 3.0. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46113147

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ouzel

Oxlip

Image: Արարատ Թրվանց. Գնարբուկ (Primula), 2025. CC BY-SA 4.0.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Գնարբուկ.jpg

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oxlip

Primrose

Image: Winkler, Markus. Colorful Array of Vibrant Primrose Flowers, 2025. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/colorful-array-of-vibrant-primrose-flowers-30721491/

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/primrose

Robin Goodfellow (Puck)

Image: Dalby, Andrew. Cover of Robin Goodfellow: His Mad Pranks and Merry Jests (1629), 2011. Public Domain. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16878914

Definition: Sparkes, Abigail. “Robin Goodfellow.” Historic UK, 2 Dec. 2023, www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Robin-Goodfellow/

Sparrow

Image: Fischer, Miriam. Sparrow Bird Close-up Photography, 2018. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/sparrow-bird-close-up-photography-2570081/

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sparrow

Sucking Dove

Image: Johnson, Aran. Feral Rock Dove nest with chicks, 2005. CC BY-SA 3.0.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=445241

Definition: Wiktionary, en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sucking-dove.

Thistle

Image: Mahnke, Jens. Pink Thistle Flowers, 2017. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/pink-thistle-flowers-776112/

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thistle

Throstle

Image: Ganaj, Petr. Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus, 2017. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photo-of-bird-perched-on-tree-branch-13282079/

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/throstle

Wild Thyme

Image: Lobastov, Boris. Базаихский разрез, Thymus serpyllum, 2020. CC BY-SA 4.0.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=91764959

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wild%20thyme

Woodbine

Image: Haag, Friedrich. Bad Dürkheim Schlossgartenstraße 2, 2020. CC BY-SA 4.0.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=96531177

Definition: Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/woodbine