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guerdon

[gur-dn]
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noun
  1. a reward, recompense, or requital.
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verb (used with object)
  1. to give a guerdon to; reward.
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Origin of guerdon

1325–75; Middle English < Old French, variant of werdoun < Medieval Latin widerdonum, alteration (probably by association with Latin dōnum gift) of Old High German widarlōn, equivalent to widar again, back + lōn reward; cognate with Old English witherlēan
Related formsguer·don·er, nounguer·don·less, adjectiveun·guer·doned, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

claimrightreprisalrateneedcomeuppanceprerogativepaymentinterestprivilegerevengedesertperquisiteretributionretaliationcompensationrecompenserepaymentrewardmerits

Examples from the Web for guerdon

Historical Examples

  • He came either to bring me aid or to seek mine, with vengeance for his guerdon.

    The Shame of Motley

    Raphael Sabatini

  • Our guerdon is shame in this world and condign punishment in the next.

  • Is it for some vow of chivalry, or for that which is the guerdon of chivalry?'

    Two Penniless Princesses

    Charlotte M. Yonge

  • For this guerdon men have fought; for this they have even gladly died.

  • But if there is honour for failure what shall be the guerdon of success?

British Dictionary definitions for guerdon

guerdon

noun
  1. a reward or payment
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verb
  1. (tr) to give a guerdon to
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Derived Formsguerdoner, noun

Word Origin

C14: from Old French gueredon, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German widarlōn, Old English witherlēan; final element influenced by Latin dōnum gift
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for guerdon

n.

"reward, recompense" (now only poetic), late 14c., from Old French guerdon, guerredon "reward, recompense, payment," from Medieval Latin widerdonum, from Old High German widarlon "recompense;" cf. Old English wiðerlean "requital, compensation," from wiðer "again" (see with) + lean "payment." Form influenced in Medieval Latin by Latin donum "gift." Cf. Spanish galardon, Italian guiderone.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper