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Old Norse Dictionary Entry

Bastarðr

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Definitions

Definitions

3 definitions

1 bastarðr

m. bastard, appears for the first time as the cognom. of William the Conqueror. The etymon is dubious; Grimm suggests a Scandinavian origin; but this is very doubtful; the word never occurs in Scandinavian writers before the time of William, sounds very like a foreign word, is rarely used, and hardly understood by common people in Icel.; neither does it occur in A. S. nor O. H. G.; so that Adam of Bremen says, iste Willelmus quem Franci bastardum vocant; whence the word seems to come from some southern source; cp. the Játv. S. (Ed. 1852), and Fl. iii. 463 sqq.; the MS. Holm, spells bastarðr, the Fb. basthardr.

2 bastarðr

2. name of a sword, Fms. vii. 297, referring to A. D. 1163.

3 bastarðr

3. a kind of cloth, in deeds of the 14th and 15th centuries, Vm. 46, 136, D. N. ii. 165; cp. the remarks on bæsingr, p. 92, col. 1 at bottom.
Similar Words

Similar Words

Runic Inscription

Runic Inscription

bastarðr

Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark

The runic text above represents the Old Norse word "bastarðr" as it might appear in runic inscriptions from the Viking Age (c. 800-1100 CE).

Abbreviations Used

Abbreviations Used

Common Abbreviations

A. D.
Anno Domini.
A. S.
Anglo-Saxon.
cognom.
cognomen.
cp
compare.
cp.
compare.
Fr
French in etymologies.
Icel
Iceland, Icelander, Icelanders, Icelandic.
Icel.
Iceland, Icelander, Icelanders, Icelandic.
l.
Linnæus.
m.
masculine.
nom.
nominative.
O. H. G.
Old High German.
orig
original, originally.
p.
page.
S.
South, Southern.
sing
singular.
v.
vide, verb.

Works & Authors

D. N.
Diplomatarium Norvagicum. (J. II.)
Fb.
Flateyjar-bók (E. I.)
Fms.
Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)
Játv.
Játvarðar Saga. (E. II.)
Vm.
Vilkins-máldagi. (J. I.)

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