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Old Norse Dictionary Entry

Norðr-ljós

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Definitions

Definitions

1 definitions

1 norðr-ljós

n. [Dan. nordlys], the northern lights, polar light, aurora borealis, in mod. usage only in plur.: an ancient description of the northern lights is given in the Sks. ch. 19 (by a Norwegian writer). From the words—eða þat er Grænlendingar kalla norðrljós, Sks. 74—it appears that the Icel. settlers of Greenland were the first who gave a name to this phenomenon; the author of the Sks. also describes the northern lights as they appeared in Greenland.
Similar Words

Similar Words

Runic Inscription

Runic Inscription

norðr-ljós

Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark

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

Abbreviations Used

Abbreviations Used

Common Abbreviations

ch
chapter.
ch.
chapter.
Dan
Danish.
Dan.
Danish.
Fr
French in etymologies.
Icel
Iceland, Icelander, Icelanders, Icelandic.
Icel.
Iceland, Icelander, Icelanders, Icelandic.
l.
Linnæus.
mod
modern.
mod.
modern.
n.
neuter.
plur.
plural.

Works & Authors

Sks.
Konungs Skugg-sjá. (H. II.)

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