Bófi

Old Norse Dictionary - bófi

Meaning of Old Norse word "bófi"

As defined by the Cleasby & Vigfusson Old Norse to English dictionary:

bófi
a, m. [Germ. bube, büberl, spitzbube, v. Grimm], a knave, rogue, in Icel. only in a bad sense; cp. the rhyming phrase, þjófar og bófar, thieves and knaves; no reference from old writers is on record (though it is common enough at the present day), except that in Eb. it is used as a nickname, Freysteinn Bófi; in Swed. it occurs as a pr. name, Baut. 1478, 1483.

Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark:ᛒᚢᚠᛁ
Younger Futhark runes were used from 8th to 12th centuries in Scandinavia and their overseas settlements

Abbreviations used:

cp.
compare.
Germ.
German.
Icel.
Iceland, Icelander, Icelanders, Icelandic.
l.
line.
m.
masculine.
pr.
proper, properly.
Swed.
Swedish.
v.
vide.

Works & Authors cited:

Baut.
Bautil. (K. II.)
Eb.
Eyrbyggja Saga. (D. II.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

Back