c.1300, "a payment for services rendered," also in M.E. "a pledge of security" (1338), from O.N.Fr.
wage (O.Fr.
guage) "pledge," from Frank.
*wadja- (cf. O.E.
wedd, Gothic
wadi "pledge"); see
wed. Mod.Fr. cognate
gages (pl.) means "wages of a domestic," one of a plethora of Fr. words for different classes, e.g.
traitement (university professor),
paye,
salaire (workman),
solde (soldier),
récompense,
prix. The O.E. (and usual Gmc.) word was
lean, related to
loan (cf. Goth.
laun, Du.
loon, Ger.
lohn)