noun
historicalIn Spain or Spanish contexts: a reward given to a messenger bearing good news. Usually in plural.
Origin
Late 16th century; earliest use found in Nicholas Lichefield (fl. 1582). From Spanish albricia, probably ultimately a borrowing into Ibero-Romance from Arabic al-bišāra (from al the + bišāra good news, glad tidings, also the reward given to a messenger bearing good news), with remodelling of the ending by folk-etymological association with Spanish -icia.
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