Völundr

Meaning of Old Norse word "völundr" (or vǫlundr)

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

Old Norse word völundr can mean:völundr

völundr (vǫlundr)

m. [A. S. Wêland; Germ. Wieland; hence too comes Engl. gallant, from Teut. Fr. galant; prop. an appellative (?), like höfundr]:—Wayland the Smith, Germ. Welant, a myth. hero common to all Teutonic people, Edda, Þiðr. 82, 185; the legends about him are contained in the old lay Völundar-kviða, Sæm. 88–94 (List of Authors A. II), and the Þiðr. S. ch. 57 sqq.

völundr (vǫlundr)

2. as appell. a master smith, a great artist, = δαίδαλος; bækr þinar ofnar völundum, woven by Waylands, Hðm. 7 (cp. Gr. πέπλος δαίδαλος); Hrafn var völundr at hagleik, bæði at tré ok at járni, BS. i. 640; Fróði konungr átti tvá smiði er völundar vóru at hagleik, FmS. i. 14; völundr rómu, the master of battle, i. e. Odin, ix. (in a verse); and so in mod. usage, hann er mesti Völundr, he is a great Völund, a great master, of a smith. Völundar-hús, n. ‘Wayland’s house,’ a labyrinth, Stj. 85; en feti þó hvergi burt úr Völundar-húsi, Lil. 92; this myth. word is still in use in Icel.

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

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