metaðar

Metaðar is a term found in Icelandic-language historical documents and scholarly works. The sense of the word varies by period and context, but it is generally linked to the act of measurement, valuation, or designation of value. In legal and administrative records, metaðar often referred to official assessments of land, livestock, or goods, sometimes used to determine taxes or tolls. The term can denote both the act of valuing and the resulting value or measure.

Etymology and form: The word is derived from the verb meta, meaning to measure or assess, with the suffix -ar forming a plural noun. It is attested in Old Icelandic and later medieval texts, and its exact sense can shift depending on the surrounding legal or economic framework.

Historical usage and significance: In agrarian economies, precise measurements and valuations were central to land tenure and taxation. Metaðar figures would appear in ledgers, court records, and administrative documents, reflecting how property and goods were priced or standardized for official purposes. The concept is closely related to broader practices of metrology and valuation in medieval Nordic law.

Modern usage: Today metaðar is rarely used in everyday Icelandic. It survives mainly in philological discussions of medieval texts and in studies of legal and economic history. Contemporary terms for measurement and valuation have evolved, making the word largely obsolete outside scholarly contexts.

See also: metrology, Icelandic language, Old Norse.