/thayn/ , n.
1. Early Eng. Hist. a member of any of several aristocratic classes of men ranking between earls and ordinary freemen, and granted lands by the king or by lords for military service.
2. Scot. Hist. a person, ranking with an earl's son, holding lands of the king; the chief of a clan, who became one of the king's barons.
Also, thegn .
[ bef. 900; late ME, sp. var. (Scots) of ME thain, thein, OE thegn; c. ON thegn subject, G Degen warrior, hero, Gk téknon child ]