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.

Bracton remarks that the82 payment of merchet, i.e. of a fine for giving away one's daughter to be married, is not in keeping with personal freedom.

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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 Project Gutenberg

Origin and modifications of merchet.

From Project Gutenberg

Such is the merchet of our extents and Court rolls.

From Project Gutenberg

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