vitnir

Old Norse

Etymology

Unclear; no Germanic cognates are known. However, possibly connected to Hittite 𒄷𒄿𒋫𒅈 (ḫu-i-ta-ar /⁠ḫwitar⁠/, “wild animal, game”) (gen.sg. 𒄷𒀉𒈾𒀸 (ḫu-it-na-aš /⁠ḫwitnas⁠/)), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂weyd- (“to be alive”), as found also in Luwian, e.g. 𒄷𒄿𒁺𒉿𒇷𒅖 (ḫu-i-du-wa-li-iš /⁠ḫwitwalis⁠/, “alive”).

This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Noun

vitnir m (genitive vitnis, plural vitnar)

1. (poetic, heiti) wolf

   Synonym: ulfr

2. (poetic, heiti) sword

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:non:sverð

Declension

  Declension of vitnir (strong ija-stem)

masculine	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	vitnir	vitnirinn	vitnar	vitnarnir
accusative	vitni	vitninn	vitna	vitnana
dative	vitni	vitninum	vitnum	vitnunum
genitive	vitnis	vitnisins	vitna	vitnanna

Derived terms

• Mjǫðvitnir