English Explanatory Dictionary

arval

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A funeral feast or wake at which bread and ale was served, traditional in Scotland, the North of England, and among the Norse.
  2. The ale served at such a wake, the drinking of which was a ritually significant act in Norse culture.
  3. The money given to hunters, at the death of a fox, in order to buy ale.

Word forms

arval arvals arfal arvel arvil arvill arvall arvell averill arvale

Etymology

Etymology tree Old Norse arfr Old Norse öl Old Norse erfiǫlder. Middle English arvellder. English arval From Middle English arvell, from Old Norse erfiǫl (“a funeral feast”), from arfr (“inheritance”) + öl (“ale”). Cognate with Danish arveøl (“a wake, funeral feast”). More at erf, ale.

Derived words

arval-bread arval-cake arval-dinner arval-supper
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