heriot
[her-ee-uh t]
- a feudal service or tribute, originally of borrowed military equipment and later of a chattel, due to the lord on the death of a tenant.
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Origin of heriot
before 900; Middle English heriot, heriet, Old English heregeate, heregeatu, heregeatwa war gear, equivalent to here army + geate, etc., equipment; cognate with Old Norse gǫtvar (plural)
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for heriot
Historical Examples
The heriot of a virgate was generally an ox, or money payment of its value.
The Enclosures in EnglandHarriett Bradley
They couldna mak' my legs gude i' the infairmary, but I'm gangin' to Heriot's.
Greyfriars BobbyEleanor Atkinson
So with emphasis Miss Heriot repeated, 'Perfectly revolting!'
The ConvertElizabeth Robins
Mrs. Heriot went to her and laid her hand on the girl's shoulder.
The ConvertElizabeth Robins
According to Strachey, Heriot could speak the native language.
Myth, Ritual, and Religion, Vol. 1Andrew Lang
heriot
- (in medieval England) a death duty paid by villeins and free tenants to their lord, often consisting of the dead man's best beast or chattel
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Word Origin
Old English heregeatwa, from here army + geatwa equipment
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for heriot
n.
Old English here-geatwe (plural) "military equipment, army-gear," from here "army" (see harry). An Anglo-Saxon service of weapons, loaned by the lord to his retainer and repayable to him upon the retainer's death; transferred by 13c. to a feudal due upon the death of a tenant, payable to his lord in beasts.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper