(in Anglo-Saxon England) a member of an aristocratic class, ranking below an ealdorman, whose status was hereditary and who held land from the king or from another nobleman in return for certain services
2. (in medieval Scotland)
a.
a person of rank, often the chief of a clan, holding land from the king
b.
a lesser noble who was a Crown official holding authority over an area of land
Derived forms
thanage (ˈθeɪnɪdʒ)
noun
Word origin
Old English thegn; related to Old Saxon, Old High German thegan thane
thane in American English
(θeɪn)
noun
1.
in early England, a member of a class of freemen who held land of the king or a lord in return for military services
2.
in early Scotland, a person of rank, often a clan chief, who held land of the king
Derived forms
thanage (ˈthanage) (ˈθeɪnɪdʒ)
noun
Word origin
ME thayne < OE thegen, akin to ON thegn < IE base *tek-, to engender, beget > Sans takman-, child: basic sense “freeborn man”