Swainmote
/ˈsweɪnˌmoʊt/noun
A medieval forest court in England dealing with the rights and duties of forest users.
Did you know?The word is a medieval legal compound: Old English/Old Norse *swain* meant a retainer or servant, and *mote* meant an assembly, so the name literally marks a meeting of forest officers and users.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
swān
“herdsman, peasant, or young man”
Old English
OE
mōt
“meeting, assembly, meeting-place”
Middle English
ME
swainmote
“a forest court or assembly concerned with woodland law”
Late Middle English
ME
swainmote
“a specific local forest court held for forest business”
Modern English
English
swainmote
“historical term for a medieval forest court”