# ring-giver

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. A ruler or chieftain who distributed rings or other valuable gifts to loyal warriors, thanes, or retainers as a means of rewarding service and reinforcing bonds of allegiance and mutual obligation.

## Etymology
Literary calque of Old English bēagġiefa, from bēag (“ring”) + ġiefa (“giver”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ring-giver