guerdon

noun

guer·​don ˈgər-dᵊn 

: reward, recompense

guerdon transitive verb

Did you know?

Guerdon and Shakespeare

Guerdon dates back to the 14th century, when Geoffrey Chaucer used it in The Romaunt of the Rose (ca. 1366): "He quitte him wel his guerdon there." It derives from Anglo-French and is thought to be related to the Old High German widarlōn, meaning "reward." Shakespeare used guerdon a couple of times in his plays. In Love's Labour's Lost, for example, Berowne, attendant to King Ferdinand, sends the clown Costard to deliver a letter to Rosaline, attendant to the princess of France, handing him a shilling with the line, "There's thy guerdon; go." Guerdon is a rare word today, but contemporary writers do use it on occasion for poetic effect.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French guerdun, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German widarlōn reward

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!