Porsgrunn

Norwegian Bokmål

A view of Porsgrunn in Norway.

Etymology

pors +‎ grunn, first part pors (“gale, bog-myrtle”), either from Old Norse pors, from Proto-Germanic *pursaz (“gale, bog-myrtle”), if not from Middle Low German pors. Last part grunn (“ground”) from Old Norse grund and grunnr, from Old Norse grunnr (“bottom”), from Proto-Germanic *grunduz (“ground, foundation”), from Pre-Germanic *gʰrm̥tús, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰrem-.

The name of the city was first mentioned as Porsgrund by the writer Peder Claussøn Friis in his work Concerning the Kingdom of Norway, in 1576, this spelling was in use until 1931 when it was changed to Porsgrunn.

The name was probably given during medieval times to the then swampy area by the nuns of Gimsøy Abbey, who went here to collect the shrub.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɔʂɡrʉn/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʉn
• Hyphenation: Pors‧grunn

Proper noun

Porsgrunn

1. Porsgrunn (a municipality and city in Vestfold og Telemark, Norway)

Derived terms

• porsgrunning (“a person from Porsgrunn”)

References

• “Porsgrunn” in Store norske leksikon

Norwegian Nynorsk

Proper noun

Porsgrunn

1. A municipality and town with bystatus in Telemark, Norway