Gardevin

/ɡɑrdəˈvin/ noun

Definition

In medieval times, an officer or servant responsible for keeping wine and drink in a great household.

Etymology

From French, combining 'garde' (keeper/guard, from Germanic roots) and 'vin' (wine, from Latin 'vinum'). This was a specific household office title in medieval European nobility.

Kelly Says

The 'gardevin' was essentially the head of a medieval wine cellar—an important job when wine was sometimes safer to drink than water and the quality varied wildly depending on storage and age.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.