wergild

[ wur-gild, wer- ]

/ ˈwɜr gɪld, ˈwɛr- /

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.

Nearby words

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

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-)

/ (ˈwɜːˌɡɪld, 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