Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

alfet

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 0.00 in modern English

Syllables: alfet
IPA

8

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

1

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A cauldron of boiling water into which an accused person plunged his forearm, used as a form of trial in Medieval England.

Example Sentences

"ALFET, antiently ſignified the Cauldron in which boiling Water was put, for the Accuſed to plunge his Hand in up to the Elbow, by way of Trial of Purgation."
"Miss Twig, head bowed at the far end of the table, continued to eat placidly, but Jacko fixed her with a hard look. "His rooms, huh? Eh, Twigs," he said, "'tis the alfet for a ewbrice." ¶ Dimple gurgled, swallowed, and said, "And what, Jacko boy, might an alfet be?" ¶ Jacko grinned. "Yer tub a boilin' water. For duckin' class offenders.""

Etymology

From Medieval Latin alfetum, from Old English alfæt (“fire-vat”), from āl (“fire”) + fæt (“vat”).

Origin

Source language: Old English

Word Breakdown

Root: alfetum, alfæt

Inflected Forms

alfets (plural)

Questions

What does alfet mean?: A cauldron of boiling water into which an accused person plunged his forearm, used as a form of trial in Medieval England.
Where does alfet come from?: It is traced to Old English.

How to pronounce alfet

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