Etymology and Related Concepts
The word weregild is composed of were, meaning "man" (as in werewolf), and geld, meaning "payment or fee", as in Danegeld. Geld or Jeld was the Old English and Old Frisian term for money, and still is in Dutch and German. The Danish word gæld and Norwegian gjeld both mean "debt". "-gäld" is also a constituent of some Swedish words, having the same meaning: e.g. återgälda (retribute, return favor) and gengäld (in return/exchange).
The same concept outside Germanic culture is known as blood money. Terms include ericfine in Ireland, galanas in Wales, "vira" ("вира") in Russia and główszczyzna in Poland.
Read more about this topic: Weregild
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