Örkn

Old Norse Dictionary - örkn

Meaning of Old Norse word "örkn" (or ǫrkn)

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

örkn (ǫrkn): n. a kind of seal, [cp. Lat. orca, supposed to be the grampus]; sá hón örkn mikit liggja á steini, Bs. i. 335, Bjarn. (in a verse), Edda (Gl.): also called örkn-selr, m., Sks. 176, where it is described; perh. the mod. urta, urtu-selr, is corrupted from örkn. örkn-höfði, a nickname, Sturl. i. (in a verse).

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

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

Abbreviations used:

cp.: compare.

l.: line.

Lat.: Latin.

m.: masculine.

mod.: modern.

n.: neuter.

perh.: perhaps.

Works & Authors cited:

Bjarn.: Bjarnar Saga. (D. II.)

Bs.: Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)

Edda: Edda. (C. I.)

Sks.: Konungs Skugg-sjá. (H. II.)

Sturl.: Sturlunga Saga. (D. I.)

➞ See all works cited in the dictionary