greið

Greiðð is a historical Old Norse noun that appears in scholarly discussions as a term referring to a formal settlement, truce, or arrangement intended to end a dispute. The precise sense of greiðð varies by text and era, but it commonly connotes some form of negotiated peace or agreed settlement, sometimes involving a payment or other obligation. The form is attested in medieval Icelandic and Norwegian sources, particularly in legal manuscripts and runic inscriptions dating from roughly the 12th to 14th centuries. Etymologically, greiðð is linked to the verb greiða, meaning to arrange, smooth, or pay, and is generally considered to derive from Proto-Germanic roots connected with agreements and obligations. In philological debate, some scholars treat greiðð as a specialized legal term for a solemn settlement, while others regard it as a broader noun for any arrangement that terminates a conflict. In modern Icelandic, the term has fallen out of use; contemporary language tends to use grið for truce or greiða for to pay or settle. The study of greiðð thus sheds light on how medieval societies framed conflict resolution and obligation in their legal and diplomatic language. See also grið, frið, greiða.