What does rebel mean in old English?

When the English language first developed, the word rebel referred to an uprising by peasants against the upper class. The upper class was made up of the aristocracy, the knights, and the clergy. The peasants, on the other hand, worked the farms and were often serfs or slaves. Rebelling against the upper class was much more common in the Middle Ages than it is today.

What does rebel mean in Old English?

One of the meanings of rebel in Old English was “a woman who does not submit to the authority of her husband” (etymologically, the word derives from the Latin rebellīre, “to war against”). The use of the word in this sense dates back to the middle ages, and it’s unclear whether it was originally used to refer to an actual revolt or to acts of violence against women.

What does rebel mean in Latin?

The word rebel comes from the Latin verb rebellīre, meaning to rise up or revolt. The word was originally used to describe an uprising of slaves, but later it came to be used to describe an uprising of peasants who were discontented with their masters – the first recorded use of the word in this sense was in 1215.

What is the meaning of rebel in old English?

The word rebel (rebell, rebeln, rebelian) originally referred to an insurrection against a legitimate authority. Over time, it came to have a more general sense of opposition to a lawful authority. The Oxford English Dictionary says that in the 16th century it was commonly used to describe people who did not submit to the authority of the Church.

What did rebel mean in old English?

The word rebel refers to an individual who has renounced allegiance to a ruler or state. While a person could rebel against an established authority within a location, it was much more common for rebels to be outside of the boundaries of any particular place. Thus, the term rebel can also mean an outlaw that lives outside the law.