housecarl

[ hous-kahrl ]

noun
  1. a member of the household troops or bodyguard of a Danish or early English king or noble.

Origin of housecarl

1
before 1050; Middle English; late Old English hūscarl<Danish hūskarl.See house, carl

Words Nearby housecarl

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use housecarl in a sentence

  • Whereon the housecarl laughed a little, and said that it was but an ancient flint working.

    A King's Comrade | Charles Whistler
  • Presently Erling came alongside me, leaving the housecarl to mind his comrade.

    A King's Comrade | Charles Whistler
  • "Now is East Anglia mine in truth," he said; and with that he bade the housecarl fetch Curan, the cook's porter, to him.

    Havelok The Dane | Charles Whistler
  • And presently I thought that I might do worse than be a housecarl for a time, if Eglaf would have me.

    Havelok The Dane | Charles Whistler
  • "That, I take it, is a hint that you might like to be a housecarl of the king's," he said.

    Havelok The Dane | Charles Whistler

British Dictionary definitions for housecarl

housecarl

/ (ˈhaʊsˌkɑːl) /


noun
  1. (in medieval Europe) a household warrior of Danish kings and noblemen

Origin of housecarl

1
Old English hūscarl, from Old Norse hūskarl manservant, from hūs house + karl man; see churl

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