wergild
Americannoun
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(in Anglo-Saxon England and other Germanic countries)
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money paid to the relatives of a murder victim in compensation for loss and to prevent a blood feud.
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the amount of money fixed as compensation for the murder or disablement of a person, computed on the basis of rank.
noun
Etymology
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 geld 2; cognate with Middle Dutch weergelt, Old High German wergelt; see yield
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.
This wergild is equal to that of an archbishop and one-half of that of a king.
From The Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia Volume 1 of 28 by Project Gutenberg
In the second year Biargey again urged Howard to try for a wergild.
From Hero-Myths & Legends of the British Race by M. I. (Maud Isabel) Ebbutt
The members of the clan were reciprocally bound to aid, defend, and avenge one another; but wergild was no longer accepted, and the penalty for murder was death.
From The Discovery of America Vol. 1 (of 2) with some account of Ancient America and the Spanish Conquest by John Fiske
In Kent his wergild was considerably higher, and his status probably also, but his position in this kingdom is a matter of controversy.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 3 "Chitral" to "Cincinnati" by Various
Under the Merovingians it was a hierarchy wherein grades were marked by the varied scale of the wergild, a man being worth anything from thirty to six Disruption of the social framework. hundred gold pieces.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 7 "Fox, George" to "France" by Various
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