Danegeld

Meaning

Noun

• a tax raised originally to protect against Viking raiders in the 10th and 11th centuries, and later continued as a land tax
• any kind of tribute

Origin

• From Middle English danegeld, from Dane, genitive plural of Dan, plus geld. Apparently modeled on a Scandinavian word such as Old Danish Danegjeld), from Old Norse *Danagjald, from the genitive plural of Danir + gjald.