Thaneage
/ˈθeɪnɪdʒ/noun
The status, office, or collective body of thanes.
Did you know?The underlying word thane shifted from meaning a servant or retainer to denoting a high-ranking Anglo-Saxon official, revealing how political power can transform the language of service.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*þegnaz
“A servant, retainer, or attendant”
Old English
Old English
þegn
“A servant or military retainer, later a noble official serving a king or lord”
Middle English
Middle English
teyn / theyn / thayn
“A thane or feudal lord, especially in Scottish and northern usage”
14th–15th Century
Scots
thane
“A hereditary or appointed territorial official and landholder”
16th–17th Century
English/Scots
thaneage
“The rank, office, jurisdiction, or collective body of thanes”
Modern English
English
thaneage
“An archaic or historical term for the status or body of thanes”