Thegnship
/ˈθeɪn.ʃɪp/noun
The rank, office, or status of a thegn, an Old English noble retainer.
Did you know?Thegnship comes from a feudal social title, not a mystical term, but it preserves the power-language of early medieval hierarchy: to be a thegn was to be bound by service, gift, and status.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
þegn
“A retainer, attendant, or noble warrior in service to a lord”
Old English
OE
þegnscip
“The condition or rank of being a thegn”
Middle English
ME
theynschipe
“The status or office of a thegn”
Modern English
EN
thegnship
“The rank or status of a thegn”