Word families

Shakespeare often refers to the heart. But he also uses this word to help create other words, such as unheart, heart-sore, and heartless. How many such derived words are there, and how are they used? Type HEART into the search-box and you will see.

We use the term word-family to identify the set of words that contain the same basic element. They will be part of a compound word (as in heart-sore), accompanied by a prefix (as in unheart) or a suffix (as in heartless), or used in different ways (e.g. as a noun and a verb). In this section we list all the words in the canon (in the modern English version) that have family resemblances so you can see which words Shakespeare exploited in this way, and which he did not. Words that are not included (such as the and Horatio) are described on the further information page here.

When there are several family members, we group them into themes, showing the directions in which Shakespeare used a word. Where these occur, they are listed under the main heading. The names of the themes, taken along with their family members, we hope are self-explanatory, but more illustration can be found on the further information page here.
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TABLE
OBJECT
SPEECH
TYPE
TABLET
TABOR
PEOPLE
TABOURINE
TACITURNITY
TACK
GAME
TYPE
TADDLE
TADPOLE
TAFFETA
TYPE
TAFFETY
TAG
TAIL
ANIMAL
APPEARANCE
COLOUR
PEOPLE
TAILOR
MEASURE
TAINT
STATE
NOT
TAKE
ACTION
DEATH
PEOPLE
STATE
TALE
AMOUNT
PEOPLE
TALENT
TALK
INTENSITY
PEOPLE
TYPE
NOT
TALL
TALLOW
OBJECT
PART OF BODY
TALLY
TALON
TAME
ACTION
PLACE
NOT
TAN
PEOPLE
TANG
TANGLE
STATE
NOT
TANNER
TAP [liquid]
PEOPLE
PLACE
TAP [touch]
TAPE
TAPER
LIGHT
TIME
TAPESTRY
TAPHOUSE
TAR
TARDY
STATE
TARGE
TARRE
TARRY
TART [food]
TART [sour]
TARTAR
TASK
PEOPLE
TASSEL [fringe]
TASSEL-GENTLE
TASTE
BAD
NOT
TATTERED
TATTLE
INTENSITY
TATTLING
TAUNT
GAME
TAVERN
MONEY
TAWDRY-LACE
TAWNY
HUE
FISH
TAX
TEACH
PEOPLE
NOT
TEAM
TEAR [eye]
APPEARANCE
STATE
TEAR [rip]
PEOPLE
STATE
TEAT
TEDIOUS
INTENSITY
TEEM
INTENSITY
TIME
TEEN
TELL
AMOUNT
EXTRA
PEOPLE
TRUTH
NOT
TEMPER
BAD
GOOD
NOT
TEMPEST
ACTION
TEMPLE [building]
ACTION
TEMPLE [face]
TEMPORAL
ACTION
PEOPLE
TEMPT
PEOPLE
NOT
TEN
HIGHER
TENABLE
NOT
TENANT
NOT
TENCH
TEND
TENDER [offer]
NOT
TENDER [sensitive]
DEATH
MIND
PART OF BODY
SMELL
STATE
NOT
TENEMENT
TENFOLD
TENNIS
OBJECT
PLACE
TENOR
TENT [shelter]
TYPE
NOT
TENT [treat]
NOT
TENTH
TENURE
TERCEL
TYPE
TERM
CONTRARY
NOT
TERMAGANT
TERRACE
TERRESTRIAL
TERRIBLE
TERRITORY
TERROR
TERTIAN
TERTIO
TEST
SPEECH
WRITING
TESTAMENT
TESTER [money]
TESTERN
TESTIMONY
TESTINESS
TESTRIL
TESTY
TETCHY
TETHER
TETTER
TEXT
PEOPLE
THANE
THANK
PEOPLE
SPEECH
NOT
THATCH
THAW
THEATRE
THEFT
THEME
THEN
THENCE
THEORIC
THERE
THEWS
THICK
ACTION
AMOUNT
APPEARANCE
PART OF BODY
PLACE
STATE
THIEF
STATE
THIGH
THIMBLE
THIN
APPEARANCE
THING
AMOUNT
OBJECT
STATE
THINK
ACTION
BAD
GOOD
TIME
NOT
THIRD
THIRDBOROUGH
THIRST
STATE
THIRTEEN
THIRTY
THISTLE
TYPE
THITHER
THONG
THORN
ACTION
PLANT
THOROUGH
THOUGHT
THOUSAND
HIGHER TO TEN
HIGHER OVER TEN
THRALDOM
THRALL
STATE
THRASH
THRASONICAL
THREAD
STATE
TYPE
NOT
THREATEN
PEOPLE
THREE
LOWER
HIGHER TO THIRTY
THIIRTY TO A HUNDRED
OVER A HUNDRED
APPEARANCE
CLOTHING
EMOTION
FAME
GAME
LENGTH
MONEY
MUSIC
PART OF BODY
PEOPLE
RANK
STATE
TIME
THRENE
THRESHED
BUILDING
PEOPLE
THRICE
THRIFT
PEOPLE
STATE
NOT
THRILL
THRIVE
PEOPLE
THROAT
PEOPLE
THROB
THROE
THRONE
ACTION
THRONG
THROSTLE
THROTTLE
THROUGH
PLACE
STATE
THROW
ACTION
PEOPLE
THRUM
THRUSH
THRUST
THUMB
OBJECT
THUMP
INTENSITY
THUNDER
EVENT
GODS
THURSDAY
THUS
THWACK
THWART
THYME
TIB
TICK
GAME
TICKLE
PEOPLE
TIDDLE-TADDLE
TIDE
FESTIVAL
TIME
NOT
TIDINGS
TIDY
TIE
STATE
NOT
TIGER
INTENSITY
TIGHT
TIKE
TILE
TILL [plough]
TILLY-VALLY
TILT
PEOPLE
PLACE
TILTH
TIMBER
STATE
NOT
TIME
ACTION
DEATH
FREQUENCY
FUTURE
LEISURE
PAST
PEOPLE
PERIOD
STATE
TIME OF DAY
TIME OF YEAR
NOT
TIMOROUS
TINCT
APPEARANCE
TINDER
OBJECT
TINGLING
TINKER
TINSEL
TINY
TIP
ACTION
PART OF BODY
PEOPLE
STATE
TIPPLING
TIPSTAFF
TIPSY
TIPTOE
TIRE [clothing]
TIRE [feed]
TIRE [weary]
PEOPLE
NOT
TIRRITS
TISSUE
STATE
TITELY
TITHE
ANIMAL
PEOPLE
TITLE
BOOK
PEOPLE
NOT
TITTLE
TOAD
PLANT
STATE
TOAST
OBJECT
PEOPLE
TOAZE
TOD
TODAY
TODPOLE
TOE
STATE
TOFORE
TOGE
TOGETHER
TOIL
TOKEN
DEATH
STATE
TOLERABLE
NOT
TOLL
TOMB
ACTION
NOT
TOMBOY
TOMORROW
TON
TONGS
TONGUE
INTENSITY
NO SPEECH
SPEECH TYPE
NOT
TONIGHT
TOO
TIME
TOOL
TOOTH
DISEASE
OBJECT
PEOPLE
STATE
TOP [height]
AMOUNT
BUILDING
INTENSITY
SCENE
SHIP
STATE
NOT
TOP [toy]
TOPGALLANT
TOPMAST
TOPPLE
TOPSAIL
TORCH
COSMOS
OBJECT
PEOPLE
SIGNAL
TORMENT
PEOPLE
TORRENT
TORTIVE
TORTOISE
TORTURE
PEOPLE
TOSS
ACTION
PEOPLE
SEA
TOSSPOT
TOTAL
TOTTERING
TOUCH
OBJECT
PEOPLE
NOT
TOUGH
TOURNAMENTS
TOUSE
TOW
TOWARD
TOWER
TOWN
OBJECT
PEOPLE
PLACE
TYPE
TOY
TRACE
TRACK
TRACT
TRADE
PEOPLE
STATE
NOT
TRADITION
TRADUCED
TRAFFIC
PEOPLE
TRAGEDY
PEOPLE
TYPE
TRAIL
TRAIN
NOT
TRAITOR
TRAJECT
TRAMMEL
TRAMPLE
TRANCE
STATE
TRANQUIL
TRANSCENDS
TRANSFER
TRANSFIGURE
TRANSFIX
TRANSFORM
TRANSGRESSED
TRANSLATE
TRANSMIGRATES
TRANSMUTATION
TRANSPARENT
TRANSPORT
TRANSPOSE
TRAP
ACTION
OBJECT
TRAPPINGS
TRASH
TRAVAIL
TRAVEL
PEOPLE
STATE
TRAVERSE
TRAY-TRIP
TREACHERY
TREAD
STATE
NOT
TREASON
TREASURE
PEOPLE
STATE
NOT
TREAT
INTENSITY
TREATISE
TREATY
TREBLE
TREE
OBJECT
PLACE
TYPE
TREMBLE
TREMOR
TRENCH
ACTION
OBJECT
PEOPLE
NOT
TRESPASS
TRESSES
TREY
TRIAL
ACTION
TRIANGLE
TRIBE
TRIBULATION
TRIBUNE
TRIBUTE
TRICE
TRICK
ACTION
TRICKLING
TRICKSY
TRIDENT
TRIFLE
PEOPLE
TRIGON
TRILLED
TRIM
APPEARANCE
NOT
TRINKET
TRIP
ACTION
GAME
TIME
TRIPARTITE
TRIPE
APPEARANCE
TRIPLE(X)
TRISTFUL
TRITON
TRIUMPH
PEOPLE
TRIUMVIRATE
TRIVIAL
TROLL
TROOP
TROPHY
TROPICALLY
TROT
TROTH
PEOPLE
STATE
TIME
TROUBLE
PEOPLE
NOT
TROUGH
TROUT
TROW
TROWEL
TRUANT
TRUCE
TRUCKLE
TRUDGE
TRUEPENNY
TRULL
TRULY
TRUMP
TRUMPERY
TRUMPET
PEOPLE
SOUND
TRUNCHEON
PEOPLE
TRUNDLE-TAIL
TRUNK
STATE
TRUSS
NOT
TRUST
MIND
PEOPLE
NOT
TRUTH
BIRTH
LOVE
FUTURE
MIND
PART OF BODY
PEOPLE
SPEECH
STATE
TRY
ACTION
NOT
TUB
STATE
TUCK [arrange]
TUCK [sword]
TUCKET
TUESDAY
TUFT
TUG
TUITION
TUMBLE
ACTION
PEOPLE
STATE
TUMULT
TUN
PART
TUNE
BAD
EMOTION
GOOD
TIME
NOT
TUPPING
TURBANED
STATE
TURBULENCE
TURF
TURKEY
TURMOIL
TURN
ACTION
PEOPLE
STATE
TURNCOAT
TURNIP
TURPITUDE
TURQUOISE
TURRET
TURTLE
TUSH [boar]
TUSH [exclamation]
TUSK
APPEARANCE
TUTOR
NOT
TWAIN
TWANG
TWAY
TWELVE
HIGHER
TIME
TWENTY
HIGHER TO THIRTY
ABOVE THIRTY
TWICE
TWIG
OBJECT
TYPE
TWILIGHT
TWILLED
TWIN
PEOPLE
STATE
TWINE
APPEARANCE
NOT
TWINK
TWINKLE
TWIRE
TWIST
ACTION
TWIT
TWO
HIGHER TO A HUNDRED
OVER A HUNDRED
MONEY
PART OF BODY
STATE
TYPE
TYRANT
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