wergild

[wur-gild, wer-]

noun

(in Anglo-Saxon England and other Germanic countries)

money paid to the relatives of a murder victim in compensation for loss and to prevent a blood feud.

the amount of money fixed as compensation for the murder or disablement of a person, computed on the basis of rank.

Also wer·geld

[wur-geld, wer-] /ˈwɜr gɛld, ˈwɛr-/, were·gild.

Origin of wergild

1175–1225; Middle English (Scots) weregylt, Old English wer(e)gild, equivalent to wer man (cognate with Gothic wair, Latin vir) + gild geld²; cognate with Middle Dutch weergelt, Old High German wergelt; see yield

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for weregild

Historical Examples of weregild

It seemed as if the old practice of the weregild (see p. 32) had been unexpectedly revived.
A Student's History of England, v. 1 (of 3)
Samuel R. Gardiner.
I knew that no weregild, as the Saxon calls it, would be enough to save me from the Cornishman.
A Prince of Cornwall
Charles W. Whistler

British Dictionary definitions for weregild

wergild

weregild wergeld (ˈwɜːˌɡɛld, ˈwɛə-)

noun

the price set on a man's life in successive Anglo-Saxon and Germanic law codes, to be paid as compensation by his slayer

Word Origin for wergild

Old English wergeld, from wer man (related to Old Norse ver, Latin vir) + gield tribute (related to Gothic gild, Old High German gelt payment); see yield

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