Jörmun-

Meaning of Old Norse word "jörmun-" (or jǫrmun-)

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

jörmun- (jǫrmun-)

a prefix in a few old mythical words, implying something huge, vast, superhuman: [cp. the A. S. eormen- in eormcn-cyn, -grund, -lâf, -strind, -þeôð; and Hel. irmin- in irmin-got = the great god, irmin-man = the great man, irmin-sul = a sacred column or idol, irmin-thiod = mankind, see Schmeller]:—great; the compds. of this word, which occur in old Scandin. poets only, are, Jörmun-gandr, m. the Great Monster, a name of the northern Leviathan, the Midgard Serpent, Vsp. 50, Bragi (Edda i. 254): Jörmund-grund, f. = A. S. eormen-grund (Beowulf), = the earth, Gm. 20: Jörmun-rekr, m. a pr. name, A. S. Eormenric (the Goth. form would be Airmanariks), Edda, Bragi: Jörmun-þrjótr, m. the Great Evil One, of a giant, Haustl.

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

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