In genealogy research we often run across a word that we don't understand the meaning of. Below are a few of those words and their meanings. If you have any to add, please send them in

Acre
      A measurement of land equaling 160 square rods or 43,560 square feet

Administratix
      A female who administers an estate where there is no will

Affidavit
      A statement written down and sworn to be true; Usually made before a judge or notary public

Ague
      A malarial fever with chills and sweating occuring at regular intervals. A fit of shivering, chill

Amalgamation
      The blending of municipalities into one entity

Annex
      The takeover of a municipality by another

Apoplexy
     A stroke

Arpent
      Old French unit of land measurement approximately equivalent to an acre
From Rhea Bertelsen

Barracks
      A building or group of buildings for members of the armed services to live in or a large building in which many people live

Bateau
      A flat-bottomed cargo and passenger boat about 30 feet long, tapered to bow and stern, drawing little water, and propelled by oars, poles, or a sail; originally designed for the treacherous river route between Upper and Lower Canada

Battery
      A platform or fortification equipped with big guns

Block-house
      A fort or building having loopholes to shoot from

Bread-and-butter
      Commonplace

Billet
      A place where someone, especially a soldier, is assigned to be lodged

Becalmed
      A ship, boat, etc that is kept from moving because there is no wind

Bow
      A looped knot

ca
     As in "ca. 1850", or "c1850". Means 'circa' or about (about 1850 / around the year 1850)

Card
      To clean or comb with a toothed wool or wire brush (a card)

CNBL
      Cannot Be Learned
I found the names of one of my ancestors to be Annie C.N.B.L. I had no idea what this meant, but then I ran across another record of that ancestory saying Annie . I then found the original record, and I knew the last name was MacDonald, but it was almost impossible to tell what the record had as a last name, so I'm pretty sure that CNBL does in fact mean "cannot be learned", not discernable, unknown, etc.. (Courtesy of Doug Matheson)

Chain Measure
      A system of measurement used by surveyors. 7.92 inches = 1 link; 100 links or 66 feet = chain; 10 chains = 1 furlong; 80 chains = 1 mile

Chub
      A thick fresh-water fish, related to the carp, or any of various North American fishes, such as the tautog, black bass, etc

Concubine
      A woman who lives with a man out of wedlock

Confederation
      In Ontario Confederation would refer to 1 Jul 1867 when the colonies of British North America (Canada West, Canada East, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick) united as the Dominion of Canada. It was at this time that Canada West became Ontario (Canada East became Quebec).

Consort
      A companion. Usually refers to a woman

County / District
      A geographical division of land within Ontario. More...

Crown Land
      Land owned by the government

Dame
     Used formerly as a courtesy title for a woman in authority or a mistress of a household. A married woman; a matron; an elderly woman. (as stated on Dictionary.com)

Dismissed
     To be excused

Dower
      A legal right that a woman has in the event of her husband's death that entitles her to one-third of the property her husband acquired during their marriage regardless of what his will stipulates

Dowry
      Money or property that a bride brings to marriage

Dropsy
     Water retention or swelling, usually due to heart or kidney disease

Eastern District
     The name given to the former Lunenberg District of Ontario in 1792. In 1798 the Eastern District consisted of the current counties of (part of) Carleton, Dundas, Glengarry, Prescott, Russell, and Stormont. By 1800 the District had been divided into Counties.

Edifice
      A building, especially a large or imposing building

Excluded
     To be shunned or not invited; Left out

Foundry
      A place where metal is melted and moulded or a place where things are made of molten metal

Gore
     A piece of land left after a survey that isn't large enough to be considered as a concession

Grass Widow
      A divorced, separated, or deserted woman. In some cases it might refer to a unmarried woman who has had children out of wedlock

Grist Mill
      A mill for grinding grain

Hawker
      A person who carries his wares around and offers them for sale by shouting. Also known as a peddlar

Head-waters
      The sources or upper parts of a river

inst.
     Of the same (or current) month. An example: Mr Smith died on the 2nd inst. -- meaning Mr Smith died on the 2nd day of the current month

IRC
      International Reply Coupon: Used as postage when sending an SAE internationally. Can be purchased at your local post office.

Farthing
      Formerly a British coin, worth a fourth of an old British penny or about a half a cent of Canadian money

Frame
      A wooden skeletal structure covered with boards

Incorporated
      A 'politically independent' area. In Ontario a town may become incorporated once it reaches a certain population, and at the time of incorporation they are no longer considered part of the township municipality, and are then recognized as a separate municipality

Kiln
      A furnace or oven for burning, baking, or drying something; a building containing a furnace for drying grain, hops, etc. or for making malt

King's Post
      One of a number of furtrading and fishing posts in Upper and Lower Canada, most of them in the King's Domain (meaning the British Empire)

Municipality
      An area created for political purposes

Mortification
      Death or decay of one part of a living body; gangrene or necrosis; infection. (as stated on Dictionary.com)

Muslin
      A thin, fine cotton cloth, used for dresses, curtains, etc

Non-Incorporated
      Small towns and villages that do not have a large enough population to be municipalities of their own

Peck
      A unit of dry measure, eight quarts or one fourth of a bushel

Pedagogue
      A narrow-minded teacher

Pike-Pole
      Similar to a twenty-foot boat-hook with a sharp point and a hook

Poor-rate
      An assessment, for relief or support of the poor (like our modern day welfare)

Potash
      Any of several substances made from wood ashes and used in soap, fertilizers, etc

Pottage
      A food made of oatmeal or other cereal boiled in water or milk until thick (a variation of porridge)

Primer
      A first book in reading

Province
      A geographical and political division in the country of Canada. Ontario is a province

Relict
      Widow or widower of
From Les Sheehy

SAE
      Self Addressed Envelope: A business size envelope that you address to yourself and send with genealogical inquiries (used by the receiving party to send you a reply)

Sire
      A male ancestor; a forefather. A gentleman of rank. Used as a form of address for a superior, especially a king. (as stated on Dictionary.com)

Sleepers
      Tree trunks used as underlying or bedding timbers

Stone
      A measurement of weight that equals approximately fourteen pounds

Tack
      In nautical use: a zigzag course against the wind

Thresh
      To separate the grain or seed from (wheat, etc)

Township
      A geographical division of a county. More...

Treacle
      Molasses, especially that produced during the refining of sugar; maple molasses, a syrup made from the sap of certain maple trees, espeically the sugar maple

ult.
     A date from the previous month. An example: Mr Smith died on the 2nd ult. -- meaning Mr Smith died on the 2nd day of the previous month

Yoke
      A wooden frame used to fasten two work animals together; a pair fastened together by a yoke

Windfall
      A tree blown down by the wind