HJARTA

Old Norse Dictionary Entry

HJARTA

Old Norse Dictionary Entry

Definitions

1 HJARTA

n., gen. pl. hjartna, [Goth. hairto; A. S. heorte; Engl. heart; Hel. herta; O. H. G. herza; Germ. herz; Dan. hjerte; Swed. hjerta; Gr. καρδία; Lat. cor, cord-is]:—the heart, Fbr. 137, Nj. 95, passim.

2 HJARTA

II. metaph., gott hjarta, góð hjörtu, með bezt hjarta, ört h., snart h., dyggt h., frækit h., a bold, stout, true heart, Lex. Poët.; glatt h., a glad heart, Em. 1; milt h., a mild heart, id.; hrætt h., a timid heart, Sól.; sárt h., a sore heart; blóðugt h., a bloody or bleeding heart, Hm. 36; viðkvæmt h., a tender heart: denoting courage, Þórr á afl ærit en ekki hjarta, Hbl. 26; h. ok hugr, heart and courage, Ísl. ii. (in a verse):—phrases, hjarta ór leiri, to have a heart of clay, be a coward, Kormak, referring to the tale in Edda 57, 58; or merar-hjarta, the heart of a mare; hjarta drepr stall, the heart beats (see drepa A. 4) or sinks, rudely expressed in Sturl. ii. 42 (in the verse); hjartað berst, beats; but the subst. is hjart-sláttr, q. v.

3 HJARTA

2. the heart, mind, feeling; snotrs manns hjarta verðr sjaldan glatt, a wise man’s heart is seldom glad, Hm. 54; hugr einn þat veit hvat býr hjarta nær, einn er hann sér um sefa, 94 (cp. 1 Cor. ii. 11): allit., hold ok hjarta, flesh and heart, body and soul, i. e. all, hold ok h. var mér in horska mær, Hm. 95; hugr ok h., soul and heart, Pass. 43. 5; also, minni og h., mind (memory) and heart, 8. 12; h. og hugskot, heart and mind: phrases, af öllu h., with all one’s heart; unna e-m (elska e-n) af öllu hjarta, Lv. 37, Mar.; eg heft ekki hjarta til e-s, I have no heart for it: the gen. as adverb, hjartans feginn, heartily glad, Pass. 4. 15; h. glaðr, göra e-ð í hjartans grannleysi, in the simpleness of heart; hjartans harðúð, hardness of heart.

4 HJARTA

3. in addressing, hjartað, hjartað gott, sweet heart! dear love!

5 HJARTA

4. mythol., Hrungnis hjarta, the stone heart, of the giant Hrungnir: the name of a magical character, perh. = Germ. Druiden fuss, see Edda 58: sea pebbles are called the heart of the sea, Ýt.

6 HJARTA

B. COMPDS: hjartablauðr, hjartablóð, hjartadauðr, hjartafriðr, hjartagóðr, hjartagróinn, hjartahreinn, hjartaprúðr, hjartaprýði, hjartaragr, hjartarætr, hjartataugar.

Runic Inscription

ᚼᛁᛅᚱᛏᛅ

Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark

Abbreviations Used

Common Abbreviations

A. S.
Anglo-Saxon.
adv
adverb.
allit.
alliteration, alliterative.
ch
chapter.
cp
compare.
cp.
compare.
Dan
Danish.
Dan.
Danish.
Engl
English.
Engl.
English.
gen.
genitive.
Germ
German.
Germ.
German.
gl
glossary.
gl.
glossary.
Goth.
Gothic.
Gr.
Greek.
Hel.
Heliand.
i. e.
id est.
id
idem, referring to the passage quoted or to the translation
id.
idem, referring to the passage quoted or to the translation
l.
Linnæus.
Lat
Latin.
Lat.
Latin.
lit
literally.
lit.
literally.
m.
masculine.
metaph.
metaphor, metaphorical.
mythol
mythology, mythological.
mythol.
mythology, mythological.
n.
neuter.
O. H. G.
Old High German.
p.
page.
perh.
perhaps.
pl.
plural.
q. v.
quod vide.
S.
South, Southern.
sing
singular.
subst
substantive, substantival, substantivally.
subst.
substantive, substantival, substantivally.
Swed
Swedish.
Swed.
Swedish.
v.
vide, verb.

Works & Authors

Edda
Edda. (C. I.)
Em.
Eiríks-mál. (A. III.)
Fbr.
Fóstbræðra Saga. (D. II.)
Hbl.
Harbarðs-ljóð. (A. I.)
Hm.
Hává-mál. (A. I.)
Lex. Poët.
Lexicon Poëticum by Sveinbjörn Egilsson, 1860.
Lv.
Ljósvetninga Saga. (D. II.)
Mar.
Maríu Saga. (F. III.)
Nj.
Njála. (D. II.)
Pass.
Passiu-Sálmar.
Sól.
Sólarljóð. (A. III.)
Sturl.
Sturlunga Saga. (D. I.)

About

Old Norse Dictionary project aims to provide a comprehensive searchable dictionary based on the legendary Cleasby-Vigfusson work.

It includes abbreviations, works & authors, and authentic runic inscriptions.

Support

Quick Links

Copyright © 2025 Old Norse Dictionary
"Fornjóts synir eru á landi komnir"