Archaic
If a word is described as archaic, it suggests its use is now old-fashioned. Many words in poems are still used that seem archaic, and many formal words may seem to be so, especially in a religious or legal register. Such words may not be really archaic – it may simply be that you are unaware of these particular registers. If you are studying A-level English Language, take great care when discussing language change not to label a word ‘archaic’ simply because you haven’t heard of it – better to say something like ‘a highly formal usage not often seen today’.
