Risi

Meaning of Old Norse word "risi"

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

risi

a, m., thus sounded with a short i, but perh. better rísi; qs. vrísi; [cp. Hel. vrisul; Germ. riese; Ivar Aascn ryse and rysel; the v shews that the word has no connection with the verb rísa, and the root is unknown; Swed. vresig = burly may be a kindred word]:—a giant, Hkr. i. 5, SkS. 601, 705, FaS. iii. 24, Ann. 1338. In popular Icel. usage risi denotes size, jötunn strength, þurs lack of intelligence; thus, hár sem risi, sterkr sem jötunn, heimskr sem þurs, as tall as a risi, strong as a jötun, stupid as a þurS. The ancient legends describe the risar as handsome, and a long-lived race; bygðu þá risar víða, en sumir vóru hálfrisar, þá var mikit sambland þjóðanna, þvíat risar fengu kvenna af Ýmislandi, FaS. i. 513, Herv. S. ch. 1, Örvar Odds S. ch. 18; cp. also the tales of Godmund on Glasisvellir: compds, hálf-risi, berg-risi. The word is very popular (even more so than jötunn) in modern tales, but is only found once (in the compd berg-risi) in old poems; risa barn, -dóttir, a giant-bairn, giant-daughter. FaS. ii. 239; but in compds risa fólk, -kyn, -ætt, giant-folk, giant-kind, 383, 384, Bárð. 163, Landn. 118; risa vöxtr, a giant’s size, Stj. 326.

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