churchscot

noun

church·​scot

ˈchərchˌskät,

-ə̄ch-,

-əich-

variants or churchshot

-ˌshät

plural -s

: a tribute formerly collected by the clergy for their support or as a due probably originally in the form of a portion of grain

Word History

Etymology

alteration & partial translation of Old English ciricsceat, from cirice church + sceatt payment, treasure; akin to Old High German scaz money, Old Norse skattr, Gothic skatts, Latin scatere to bubble up, Greek skatamizein to jump, Lithuanian skasti

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

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