Legal Definitions - gersum

Definition: Gersum (pronounced gur-suhm) is a historical term that refers to money paid for a specific thing. It can also refer to compensation paid by a tenant to a superior when entering a holding or a penalty paid for an offense.

Examples:

• When a tenant rented a piece of land from a lord in medieval times, they would often have to pay a gersum to the lord as compensation for using the land.
• If someone committed a crime in the past, they might have had to pay a gersum as a penalty or fine.

These examples illustrate how gersum was used in the past to refer to various types of payments made for specific purposes, such as compensation or penalties.