Gör-semi

Meaning of Old Norse word "gör-semi" (or gǫr-semi)

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

gör-semi (gǫr-semi)

gör-symi, giavr-simi, f., Mork. 61, 64; but usually ger-semi, f. indecl. sing., but þessarar gersemar (gen.), FmS. vi. 73; [old Dan. görsum; gersuma in A. S. laws is a Scandin. or Dan. word, from gör- and sama, what beseems; or perhaps better from gör- and sima, costly wire, coils of wire being used as money]:—a costly thing, jewel; gersemi ertú (what a treasure thou art!), hversu þú ert mér eptirlátr, Nj. 68; skjöld, ok var hann en mesta gersemi, Eg. 698; gullhring ok nokkrar gersimar, BS. i. 130; gaf keisarinn honum margar gersimar, FmS. xi. 328; einn digran gullhring ok var þat g. sem mest, Fær. 6; með stórum gersemum ok fjár-hlutum, FmS. x. 417: of a living thing, þeir hafa drepit yxn (oxen) mitt er mest gersemi var, Sd. 158; var þat dýr en mesta gersemi þess-kyns, FmS. vi. 298 sqq.; konungs-gersemi, a ‘king’s jewel,’ of a dwarf,—such a man being the ‘king’s plaything:’ allit., gull ok gersimar, passim:—Hnoss and Gersemi were the daughters of Freyja, Edda.

Orthography: The Cleasby & Vigfusson book used letter ö to represent the original Old Norse vowel ǫ. Therefore, gör-semi may be more accurately written as gǫr-semi.

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