odal

Meanings

Noun

• Among the early and medieval Teutonic peoples, especially Scandinavians, the heritable land held by the various odalmen constituting a family or kindred of freeborn tribesmen.
• The ownership of such land.

Adjective

• Of or relating to odal land.

Origin

• From Icelandic óðal. Cognate with Norwegian odel ("allodium, patrimony"), Old English ēþel ("homeland"). Compare athel, Odelsthing.