Category:Archaic forms by language

Categories with forms that are no longer in general use but still encountered in older literature, sometimes still used for special effect, and typically recognized by native speakers; and serve as alternative forms of the same terms in general use.

To categorize into this category, use {{archaic form of|{{{langcode}}}|...}} or {{archaic spelling of|{{{langcode}}}|...}}.

If the term is not merely a variant (alternative form) of a term in general use, it should be placed in [[Category:specific-language archaic terms]] instead; to do this, use {{tlb|{{{langcode}}}|archaic}} (template tlb, not lb), which should typically be placed next to the headword. If only some senses of the term are archaic, it should be categorized instead in [[Category:specific-language terms with archaic senses]], using {{lb|{{{langcode}}}|archaic}} (template lb instead of tlb), which should typically be placed next to the individual sense.

Archaic forms should be distinguished from dated forms, which are merely unfashionable and anachronistic but still sometimes used, especially by older speakers; and on the other hand from obsolete forms, which are no longer in use at all and are not usually recognized by native speakers.

This is an umbrella category. It contains no dictionary entries, but only other, language-specific categories, which in turn contain relevant terms in a given language.