🇫🇷French Source WordCode: FR

prix du sang

Pronunciation / Transliteration: pʁi dy sɑ̃

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Wergild/ˈwɜːrˌɡɪld/
nounCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #15000 frequency
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🇫🇷 Example Sentence in French:

"Le prix du sang était une pratique courante dans les sociétés anciennes."

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A value placed on a person's life in Anglo-Saxon law, which could be paid as compensation to the family of a slain person.

    "In the event of a murder, the offender was required to pay wergild to the victim's family to avoid further bloodshed."
  2. 2

    The amount of money or goods paid to settle a feud or as compensation for a wrongful death.

    "The concept of wergild was crucial in maintaining peace among tribes by providing a financial means to resolve conflicts."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The term 'wergild' originates from Old English 'wergild', which combines 'wer' meaning 'man' and 'gild' meaning 'payment'. It was used in Anglo-Saxon law to denote the value placed on a person's life, which could be paid as compensation to the family of a slain person, reflecting the societal norms of the early medieval period regarding justice and reparation.

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