m. name of the wise giant of Norse mythology, the keeper of the holy well Mímis-brunnr, m. = the burn of Mimir, the well of wisdom, in which Odin pawned his eye for wisdom, a myth which is explained as symbolical of the heavenly vault with its single eye, the sun, setting in the sea, Vsp. 22. Mímir also occurs in the following compds, hregg-mímir = the ‘tempest-sky,’ and vett-mímir = the top sky = the uppermost heaven, Edda (Gl.), which are among the nine heavens, such as the ancients fancied it, which shews a connection of this name with the sky; Sökk-mímir, the M. of the depth, is the name of a giant (representing the sky of the Inferno?), Gm. Again, another myth says that Odin carried with him the cut off head of the giant Mímir (Míms-höfuð), which told him all hidden things, Vsp. 47, Yngl. S. ch. 7, Edda: Odin is called Míms-vinr, m. = the friend of Mímir, Stor. Míms-synir, m. pl. the sons of Mímir = the winds (?), Vsp.

II. hold-mímir, flesh-maimer (?), is the poët. name of a sword, Edda (Gl.); cp. also Ulf. mimz = κρέας, 1 Cor. viii. 13, (= a chop, butcher’s meat?). ☞ Is the word to be derived from maiming, cutting, and is the likeness to Lat. memor only accidental? cp. also the following word.