A “quick and dirty” definition today, as I have a lot of work and a little of the day left. It may help if I managed my time better, but such stuff dreams are made of!
Yclept, then is simply a fancy and archaic method of saying “called” or “named as”. It’s pronounced ee-klept, with a long “e”. It is the past participle of the Old English verb clepe (call). The origins of the word are pretty simple, despite the strange spelling. the “y-” prefix was used in Old English to represent the past participle, much as the Old German “ge-” prefix would be used (geboren – born, gebildet – made), and in modern-day Dutch/Flemish (gemaakt- made, gebruikt – used). It is also the same method by which we use the “-ed” suffix in modern English.
Because of its ancient heritage, it is only ever used in a poetic or jocular manner now. Our old friend Geoffrey Chaucer, though, used it with impunity:
“For he was late ycome from his viage,”
“Is signe that a man is well yshryve.”
“It is full fair to ben yclept madame. “
