housecarl

house·carl

[hous-kahrl]
noun
a member of the household troops or bodyguard of a Danish or early English king or noble.

Origin:
before 1050; Middle English; late Old English hūscarl < Danish hūskarl. See house, carl

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Collins
World English Dictionary
housecarl (ˈhaʊsˌkɑːl) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
(in medieval Europe) a household warrior of Danish kings and noblemen
 
[Old English hūscarl, from Old Norse hūskarl manservant, from hūshouse + karl man; see churl]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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00:10
Housecarl is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia

housecarl

member of the personal or household troops or bodyguard of Scandinavian kings and chieftains in the Viking and medieval periods. The housecarls achieved a celebrated place in European history as the Danish occupation force in England under Canute the Great in 1015-35.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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