merchet

British

/ ˈmɜːtʃɪt /

noun

(in feudal England) a fine paid by a tenant, esp a villein, to his lord for allowing the marriage of his daughter

"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 merchet

C13: from Anglo-French, literally: _market

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.

They pay merchet; if any of them dies without making his will the whole of his moveable property falls to the lord.

From Villainage in England Essays in English Mediaeval History by Vinogradoff, Paul

We cannot admit even for one moment that the whole peasant population of entire counties was descended from personal slaves, as the diffusion of merchet would lead us to suppose.

From Villainage in England Essays in English Mediaeval History by Vinogradoff, Paul

To tenure, merchet, being a personal payment, should have no relation whatever.

From Villainage in England Essays in English Mediaeval History by Vinogradoff, Paul

Such is the merchet of our extents and Court rolls.

From Villainage in England Essays in English Mediaeval History by Vinogradoff, Paul

It seems to me that Glanville has in mind liberation de facto from certain duties and customs, such as agricultural work for instance, or the payment of merchet.

From Villainage in England Essays in English Mediaeval History by Vinogradoff, Paul

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