THANE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does thane mean? 

• THANE (noun)
  The noun THANE has 2 senses:

1. a feudal lord or baron

2. a man ranking above an ordinary freeman and below a noble in Anglo-Saxon England (especially one who gave military service in exchange for land)

  Familiarity information: THANE used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• THANE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A feudal lord or baron

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("thane" is a kind of...):

Lord; noble; nobleman (a titled peer of the realm)

Domain region:

Scotland (one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; located on the northern part of the island of Great Britain; famous for bagpipes and plaids and kilts)

Derivation:

thaneship (the position of thane)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A man ranking above an ordinary freeman and below a noble in Anglo-Saxon England (especially one who gave military service in exchange for land)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("thane" is a kind of...):

citizen (a native or naturalized member of a state or other political community)

Derivation:

thaneship (the position of thane)

 Context examples 

Yet can I, said Alleyne smiling; for indeed I also am the son of Edric the Socman, of the pure blood of Godfrey the thane, by the only daughter of Aluric of Brockenhurst.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

That am I; and the son of Edric the Socman, of the pure blood of Godfrey the thane, by the only daughter of the house of Aluric, whose forefathers held the white-horse banner at the fatal fight where our shield was broken and our sword shivered.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)