wergild: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowHistorical/Legal/Academic
Quick answer
What does “wergild” mean?
A payment in money or goods as compensation for a killing, as required by certain ancient legal codes.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A payment in money or goods as compensation for a killing, as required by certain ancient legal codes.
Figuratively, any compensation or penalty paid for a serious wrong or transgression, especially one that restores honor or balance.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The term is equally rare and academic in both variants.
Connotations
Connotes a historical, pre-modern legal system, often with a sense of formalized, tribal justice.
Frequency
Almost never encountered outside historical, legal, or fantasy literature/academia.
Grammar
How to Use “wergild” in a Sentence
[Subject] paid/offered/imposed a wergild of [Amount] for [Victim].The [Authority] set the wergild for [Crime/Victim] at [Amount].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “wergild” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The act of 'wergilding' is not a standard verb form.
American English
- The concept is not used as a verb in modern English.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable.
American English
- Not applicable.
adjective
British English
- The wergild payment was substantial.
- They operated under a wergild system.
American English
- The wergild amount was recorded in the dooms.
- Wergild laws were a key feature of early law codes.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in history, law, medieval studies, and literature (e.g., 'The wergild for a ceorl was 200 shillings.').
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Used as a precise term in historical jurisprudence.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “wergild”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “wergild”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “wergild”
- Using it to refer to modern legal fines.
- Misspelling as 'wergeld' (a variant) or 'weregild'.
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'to wergild someone' is incorrect).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a purely historical term from early medieval Germanic and Anglo-Saxon law.
They are close synonyms, but 'wergild' is more specific to a particular historical legal tradition, while 'blood money' is a more general term used in various cultures and sometimes in modern contexts.
Rarely, but possible in literary or rhetorical contexts, e.g., 'He paid a kind of emotional wergild for his betrayal.'
The social rank of the victim. The wergild for a nobleman (thegn) was many times higher than that for a common farmer (ceorl).
A payment in money or goods as compensation for a killing, as required by certain ancient legal codes.
Wergild is usually historical/legal/academic in register.
Wergild: in British English it is pronounced /ˈwɜːɡɪld/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈwɜːrɡɪld/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to modern usage.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'WERgild' like 'WERewolf' - an old, Germanic word. The 'gild' part is like 'guild' or 'gold' - payment. It's the 'man-gold' paid for a life.
Conceptual Metaphor
A LIFE IS VALUABLE PROPERTY (that can be quantified and compensated for).
Practice
Quiz
What was the primary purpose of a 'wergild' in medieval law?