| 1. | Also called Anglo-Saxon. the English language of a.d. c450–c1150. Abbreviation: OE |
| 2. | Printing. a style of black letter. |
black letter  (click for larger image in new window) n. A heavy typeface with very broad counters and thick ornamental serifs. Also called gothic, Old English. |
| Old English n.
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The English language from the fifth century until about 1150. In the fifth century, the Angles and Saxons of Germany settled in Britain and established their language in the southern part of the island — the region that was called “Angle-land,” or “England.” After 1150, the Norman French language introduced after the Norman Conquest influenced Old English, and Middle English developed.
Note: Old English resembles the language spoken in Germany in the same period and is impossible for a present-day user of English to read without training. Beowulf is written in Old English.