We toss them around in conversation. We spot them in novels, news articles, and even memes. Some sound poetic. Others are blunt and punchy. But what they all have in common might surprise you.
Many of these everyday words were first written by Shakespeare himself.
Let’s go through some of the most unexpected—and fascinating—words that made their debut on Shakespeare’s stage.
? 1. Eyeball
It’s hard to believe, but before Shakespeare, no one had ever written down the word eyeball. Sure, people had eyes—and balls—but the neat little combo that now feels completely ordinary? That’s Shakespeare.
The word eyeball makes its first known appearance in The Tempest, written around 1610. In Act I, Scene II, the character Caliban complains:
“Go suck, my toes! And show your eyeballs.”
(Paraphrased for clarity)
Okay, maybe not quite that—but the real line is:
“Go make thyself like a nymph o’ the sea: be subject / To no sight but thine and mine; invisible / To every eyeball else.”
At the time, it was a vivid, almost anatomical term—poetic and physical all at once. Shakespeare had a knack for combining simple words to create something new and expressive. Today, eyeball is so common we barely think about it—until we remember its origin on a magical island full of spirits and shipwrecks.
? 2. Lonely
It’s a word packed with feeling—lonely can tug at the heart in just two syllables. And yep, you guessed it: we have Shakespeare to thank for it.
The first known use of lonely shows up in Coriolanus, likely written around 1608. In Act IV, Scene I, Coriolanus is being banished and says:
“O world, thy slippery turns! Friends now fast sworn, / Whose double bosoms seem to wear one heart, / Whose house, whose bed, whose meal and exercise, / Are still together, who twin, as ’twere, in love / Unseparable, shall within this hour, / On a dissension of a doit, break out / To bitterest enmity: so fellest foes, / Whose passions and whose plots have broke their sleep / To take the one the other, by some chance, / Some trick not worth an egg, shall grow dear friends / And interjoin their issues. So with me: / My birthplace hate I, and my love’s upon / This enemy town. I’ll enter: if he slay me, / He does fair justice; if he give me way, / I’ll do his country service.”
Okay, that’s a lot. But tucked inside the play is this quiet new word: lonely. Before Shakespeare, people used alone or solitary—but lonely? That was something new. It didn’t just mean “by yourself.” It meant feeling the ache of being by yourself.
It’s amazing how a single word can carry centuries of emotion, and it all started with the Bard.
? 3. Gloomy
These days, gloomy might describe the weather, your mood, or even the look on your cat’s face. But back in the early 1600s? This word didn’t exist—until Shakespeare gave it life.
The first recorded use of gloomy appears in Titus Andronicus, one of his earliest and bloodiest plays. In Act III, Scene I, Titus cries out:
“In this detested, dark, and gloomy day…”
Here, gloomy isn’t just about shadows—it’s soaked in grief, despair, and tragedy. Shakespeare took the older noun gloom (which referred to darkness) and turned it into an adjective, wrapping emotion around atmosphere in a single stroke.
It’s one of those words that feels timeless now. We say it without thinking. But in Shakespeare’s day, gloomy was as fresh and expressive as slang is today—only a whole lot sadder.
? 4. Zany
If someone calls you zany today, they probably mean you’re quirky, a little wild, or delightfully offbeat. But when Shakespeare used it, zany had a very different flavor—and it came straight from the stage.
The word zany makes one of its earliest appearances in Love’s Labour’s Lost, a comedy brimming with wordplay and over-the-top characters. In Act V, Scene II, the character Biron says:
“Some carry-tale, some please-man, some slight zany, / Some mumble-news, some trencher-knight, some Dick.”
At the time, zany referred to a fool’s assistant in Italian commedia dell’arte—the sidekick of the clown, the guy who mimics others to make people laugh. Shakespeare borrowed the term and helped it evolve into the meaning we know today: wildly silly, unpredictable, maybe even a bit absurd.
It’s a great example of how Shakespeare didn’t just invent words—he also imported, twisted, and elevated them until they stuck.
? 5. Gnarled
Twisted branches, weathered hands, ancient roots—gnarled instantly paints a picture. While the exact word doesn’t appear in clean form in any single Shakespeare line, scholars credit him with introducing or shaping it into the English we use today.
It’s likely adapted from older forms like knurled or gnar, and Shakespeare’s influence helped solidify gnarled as the perfect descriptor for anything rugged, knotty, and aged—be it trees, people, or even ideas.
? 6. Swagger
Nowadays, swagger means confidence turned up to eleven—walk like you own the place, talk like you invented cool. But in Shakespeare’s day, it had a slightly more aggressive vibe.
The first known use of swagger shows up in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene I. The character Puck, ever the mischievous sprite, says:
“What hempen home-spuns have we swaggering here, / So near the cradle of the fairy queen?”
Here, swagger doesn’t just mean walk with style—it suggests someone loud, brash, maybe even a little obnoxious. Think drunken swordfighters in a tavern, not runway models.
Shakespeare used swagger as a verb, and over time, it evolved into a noun, a style, and even a whole attitude. What started as a jibe is now a compliment—because let’s be honest, who doesn’t want a little swagger?
? 7. Assassination
If you’re writing a thriller or watching one, you probably hear the word assassination thrown around like it’s always been part of the English language. But Shakespeare was one of the first to give it that sharp, sinister edge.
The word assassination makes its dramatic debut in Macbeth, Act I, Scene VII, as the title character contemplates murdering King Duncan:
“If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well / It were done quickly: if the assassination / Could trammel up the consequence…”
It’s a moment of intense psychological turmoil—and assassination gives it weight. The word itself feels formal, calculated, cold. It’s not a crime of passion; it’s premeditated. That was new.
Before Shakespeare, people might’ve said murder or slaying. But assassination? That added political power, intrigue, and intentionality. It was perfect for a play soaked in ambition, prophecy, and guilt.
? 8. Dauntless
Dauntless is one of those words that practically flexes its muscles as you say it. It means fearless, unshaken, boldly brave—and yep, Shakespeare’s the one who carved it into the language.
The earliest known use comes again from Macbeth, Act III, Scene I. Macbeth, speaking of Banquo, reflects on his unease and admiration, calling him dauntless in character.
While earlier forms like daunt existed, Shakespeare extended it into dauntless—a perfect adjective for heroes, warriors, and anyone who faces fear head-on.
These days, it’s just as at home in a fantasy novel as it is in a historical drama. And we have Macbeth’s paranoia to thank for it.
? 9. Majestic
Majestic—a word that evokes grandeur, dignity, and awe. Shakespeare helped bring it into English usage in a way that stuck.
The earliest known use of majestic appears in Julius Caesar, Act I, Scene II. Cassius marvels at Caesar’s rise to power:
“Ye gods, it doth amaze me / A man of such a feeble temper should / So get the start of the majestic world / And bear the palm alone.”
Here, majestic refers to the grandeur of the world Caesar has seemingly conquered. Today, the word describes everything from soaring mountains to regal ceremonies—all thanks to the Bard’s gift for gravitas.
? 10. Cold-blooded
When we call someone cold-blooded today, we mean they’re heartless—capable of cruelty without remorse. Shakespeare got there first.
The phrase first appears in King John, Act III, Scene I:
“Thou cold-blooded slave, hast thou not spoke like thunder on my side?”
Here, cold-blooded is an insult—accusing someone of lacking warmth or loyalty. Shakespeare drew on the medieval belief that cold blood was associated with inaction or detachment, and sharpened it into a poetic weapon.
Today, it’s evolved into the language of true crime and drama, but the sting of the original still remains.
? 11. Laughable
Laughable feels like a simple word, but it didn’t exist before Shakespeare. He created it by taking the verb laugh and turning it into an adjective: worthy of laughter.
Though its first recorded appearance is debated, the Oxford English Dictionary credits Shakespeare with its earliest use—likely in Love’s Labour’s Lost or The Merchant of Venice.
It can be light-hearted or biting, sweet or sharp. And like so many words on this list, it still makes audiences smile—centuries later.
? 12. Luggage
We drag it through airports, stuff it under seats, and curse it when it gets lost. But luggage? That’s Shakespeare, too.
The first known use appears in Henry IV, Part I, Act II, Scene I. A carrier says:
“Let’s away, and get our luggage aboard.”
Derived from lug—to drag or haul—luggage originally meant any kind of heavy gear or baggage. Shakespeare was the first known writer to turn it into a proper noun.
Not every invention has to be poetic. Sometimes, it just needs wheels.
Hey fellow Linguaholics! It’s me, Marcel. I am the proud owner of linguaholic.com. Languages have always been my passion and I have studied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics and Sinology at the University of Zurich. It is my utmost pleasure to share with all of you guys what I know about languages and linguistics in general.