íviðja

Old Norse

FWOTD – 18 August 2013

Etymology

Of obscure origin and meaning. Some sources propose derivation from *í-viðr, thus meaning "one in the woods", while others suggest connection to Old Saxon inwid (“fraud, wickedness”), Old High German inwit (“deceit, cunning”).

Pronunciation

(9th century West Norse) IPA^(key): /ˈĩːˌwið.jɑ/
(13th century Icelandic) IPA^(key): /ˈiːˌvið.jɑ/

Noun

íviðja f (genitive íviðju, plural íviðjur)

(Norse mythology) a word of unclear meaning, often taken to mean giantess or ogress
- Vǫluspá, stanza 2, lines 5-6:
  Níu man ek heima,
  níu íviðjur [...] (This word in Codex Regius has previously been read as iviþi, which is normalized to íviði, but later investigations has shown it in fact does say iviþiur. Hauksbók has uidiur, which Björnsson normalizes to íviðjur.)
  Nine worlds I remember,
  nine giantesses [...]

Declension

Declension of íviðja (weak jōn-stem)

feminine	singular		plural
feminine	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	íviðja	íviðjan	íviðjur	íviðjurnar
accusative	íviðju	íviðjuna	íviðjur	íviðjurnar
dative	íviðju	íviðjunni	íviðjum	íviðjunum
genitive	íviðju	íviðjunnar	íviðja	íviðjanna

Synonyms

gýgr