Word Daily * Guerdon *

Guerdon
ˈɡərdn

Noun

   A reward or recompense.


Verb

   Give a reward to (someone).


Example Sentences

“As a guerdon for his community service, Embry received a small scholarship.”

“Barbara Kingsolver received the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in fiction as a guerdon for ‘Demon Copperhead,’ a retelling of ‘David Copperfield.'”

“You should guerdon the committee for their work in putting together the banquet with such short notice.”

Word Origin

French, mid-14th century

Why this word?

“Guerdon” is a loanword from Old French, where it meant “recompense,” and the French word “guerdon” has ties to “widarlōn” in Old High German and “wiþerlēan” in Old English — both meaning “reward.” “Guerdon” was more frequently used in English as a literary or poetic synonym, including in the works of Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Tennyson. As a result, “guerdon” is used almost exclusively as a poetic term that emphasizes the importance of the reward.