Showing results for housecarl. Search instead for housecarles.

housecarl

American

[hous-kahrl] / ˈhaʊsˌkɑrl /

noun

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

housecarl British

/ ˈhaʊsˌkɑːl /

noun

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

"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

Etymology

Origin of housecarl

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

housecarl

"That, I take it, is a hint that you might like to be a housecarl of the king's," he said.

From Havelok the Dane A Legend of Old Grimsby and Lincoln by Whistler, Charles W. (Charles Watts)

Odin, how good it is to meet a housecarl who speaks as man to man and does not cringe to me!

From Havelok the Dane A Legend of Old Grimsby and Lincoln by Whistler, Charles W. (Charles Watts)

"Well, master housecarl, what may your message be, and from whom is it?" he said, without more than a glance at me.

From Havelok the Dane A Legend of Old Grimsby and Lincoln by Whistler, Charles W. (Charles Watts)

"Radbard Grimsson of Grimsby, housecarl just now to this King of Lindsey."

From Havelok the Dane A Legend of Old Grimsby and Lincoln by Whistler, Charles W. (Charles Watts)

I was not yet wanted by Eglaf for any housecarl duty.

From Havelok the Dane A Legend of Old Grimsby and Lincoln by Whistler, Charles W. (Charles Watts)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023