[Literal rendering of ON. tann-fé, f. tǫnn, tann- tooth + fé money.] A gift to an infant on cutting its first tooth, a custom mentioned in Old Norse, and still observed in Iceland (Vigfusson). Also tooth-gift, -money, -piece.
1851. Thorpe, North. Mythol., I. 25. Alfheim was given to him [Frey] by the gods as tooth-money.
1868. G. Stephens, Runic Mon., II. 538. This fine Gold-bracteate … was probably a Tooth-fee or Birthday gift. Ibid., 529. It would seem to have been struck as a Birth-day- or Tooth-piece for some highborn child.
1875. R. B. Anderson, Norse Mythol., 445. Alfheim was given him as a tooth-gift.
1884. York Powell, in Academy, 23 Feb., 128/2. What Sigmund gave his son was a sword, imon-lauk, a very fitting tooth-fee, or name-gift, to one who was to live and die in arms.
