HÖFN

Old Norse Dictionary Entry

HÖFN

Old Norse Dictionary Entry

Definitions

1 HÖFN

f., also spelt hömn, gen. hafnar; [hafa]:

2 HÖFN

1. a holding, possession, esp. tenure of land; þá skal þeim dæma eingis-höfnina er heimild kemr til, Grág. (Kb.) ii. 86; jarðar h., tenure of land; at jarðar-höfn ok at fjár-megni, N. G. L. ii. 38; nú skal görðum skipta eptir jarðar-höfn ok öllum áverka, 122; hafnar-vitni, testimony as to tenure of land, opp. to óðals-vitni, N. G. L. i. 246, 247: the allit. phrase, hönd ok höfn, hand and having, absolute power; nema þeim sem hann leggr hendr ok höfn sem hann vill, cp. Dan. ‘skalte og valte med,’ Bs. i. 706, v. l.,—no emend. seems necessary.

3 HÖFN

2. a foetus; lýstr maðr kviðuga konu, svá at höfn sú deyr, er hón ferr með ok skilsk hón við höfnina, Stj. 302; taka við höfn, Lat. concipere, Flóv., Bs. ii. 173, Hom. (St.): the time of pregnancy, á enum níunda mánaði hafnarinnar, 686 B. 14.

4 HÖFN

3. pasture; sauða-höfn í Múla-fjall, Vm. 64; nauta tröð ok hömn, N. G. L. i. 379, D. N. ii. 146, iii. 120.

5 HÖFN

4. a coat, cp. Lat. habitus, esp. = a cloak; hann tók af sér höfnina ok sveipaði um konunginn, Fms. ix. 25; yfir-h., a cloak, cp. Ísl. ii. 245 (in a verse): a kind of stuff; hence hafnar-feldr, m., hafnar-vaðmál, n., hafnar-váð, f. denoting a plain stuff, as it was sold in trade; Grág. i. 504, Nj. 7, D. N. i. 134, ii. 6, iii. 8, 451, Vm. 103, 117, Pm. 57.

6 HÖFN

5. skips-höfn, a ship’s crew; munns-höfn, ‘mouth-habit,’ language.

7 HÖFN

B. [Engl. and Dutch haven; Germ. hafen; Dan. havn; Swed. hamn]:—a haven, harbour, Fms. xi. 74, Eg. 79, Hkr. iii. 248, Grág., etc.: eccl., sælu-höfn, lífs-h., passim: sometimes spelt hafn, Ísl. ii. 398: as also in local names, Höfn, Landn.: Hafnar-menn, m. pl., Sturl. ii. 91; Kaupmanna-höfn, Copenhagen; Hraun-höfn, Eb., etc.

8 HÖFN

COMPDS: hafnaraustr, hafnarbúi, hafnardyrr, hafnarkross, hafnarlykill, hafnarmark, hafnarrán, hafnartollr, hafnarvágr.

Runic Inscription

ᚼᚢᚠᚾ

Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark

Abbreviations Used

Common Abbreviations

absol
absolute, absolutely.
allit.
alliteration, alliterative.
ch
chapter.
cp
compare.
cp.
compare.
Dan
Danish.
Dan.
Danish.
eccl
ecclesiastical.
eccl.
ecclesiastical.
Engl
English.
Engl.
English.
esp
especially.
esp.
especially.
etc.
et cetera.
f.
feminine.
gen.
genitive.
Germ
German.
Germ.
German.
gl
glossary.
gl.
glossary.
l.
Linnæus.
Lat
Latin.
Lat.
Latin.
lit
literally.
lit.
literally.
loc
local, locally.
m.
masculine.
n.
neuter.
opp
opposed to.
opp.
opposed.
opp. to
opposed to.
p.
page.
pl.
plural.
Swed
Swedish.
Swed.
Swedish.
v.
vide, verb.
v. l.
varia lectio.

Works & Authors

Bs.
Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)
D. N.
Diplomatarium Norvagicum. (J. II.)
Eb.
Eyrbyggja Saga. (D. II.)
Eg.
Egils Saga. (D. II.)
Flóv.
Flóvents Saga. (G. II.)
Fms.
Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)
Grág.
Grágás. (B. I.)
Hkr.
Heimskringla. (E. I.)
Hom.
Homiliu-bók. (F. II.)
Kb.
Konungs-bók. (B. I, C. I, etc.)
Landn.
Landnáma. (D. I.)
N. G. L.
Norges Gamle Love. (B. II.)
Nj.
Njála. (D. II.)
Pm.
Pétrs-máldagi. (J. I.)
Stj.
Stjórn. (F. I.)
Sturl.
Sturlunga Saga. (D. I.)
Vm.
Vilkins-máldagi. (J. 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"