bohort

Meanings

1. An early type of jousting competition in medieval Europe.

Etymology

From Old French bohort or German Buhurt (Low German Buhurd), ultimately from Middle Low German bohurt, burt, or Middle High German būhurt, bēhurt, later the term for a ”tournament-melee”, a medieval tournament game, in which mock combat is conducted between two groups of knights, alternatively a game in which an attack was made on a pretend fortress, but also a synonym for tournament in general. Cognates includes Old Italian bohordicum; French bohourt (Old French behort, bohort, bohourt, bouhourd); Swedish bohord (Old Swedish bohordh, behordh); Icelandic burt (Old Norse burt). Also compare the verbal form (“to bohort”): Old French behorder, bohorder, bouhourder; Middle High German buhurdieren; Middle Low German borderen; Swedish bordera (Old Swedish bordera).