Old Norse

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Etymology

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From læknir (healer) +‎ hǫnd (hand). Cognate with Old Danish ᛚᛅᚴᚿᛅᛌᚼᛆᚿᛑ (læknæshand).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈlɛːknɪ̃sˌhɒ̃nd/

Noun

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læknishǫnd f (genitive læknishandar, dative læknishendi, plural læknishendr)

  1. (poetic) a healing hand
    • Sigrdrífumál 4:
      Heilir æsir! / Heilar ásynjur!
      Heil sjá in fjǫlnýta fold!
      Mál ok mannvit / gefið okkr mærum tveim,
      ok læknishendr meðan lifum.
      Hail the gods! Hail the goddesses! Hail, the bountiful earth! Speech and wisdom, grant to us famous ones, and healing hands while we live.

Declension

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