List of English words of Old Norse origin facts for kids

Words of Old Norse origin have entered the English language, primarily from the contact between Old Norse and Old English during colonisation of eastern and northern England between the mid 9th to the 11th centuries (see also Danelaw). Many of these words are part of English core vocabulary, such as egg or knife. There are hundreds of such words, and the list below does not aim at completeness.

To be distinguished from loan words which date back to the Old English period are modern Old Norse loans originating in the context of Old Norse philology, such as kenning (1871), and loans from modern Icelandic (such as geyser, 1781). Yet another class comprises loans from Old Norse into Old French, which via Anglo-Norman were then indirectly loaned into Middle English; an example is flâneur, via French from the Old Norse verb flana "to wander aimlessly".

A

ado

influenced by Norse "at" ("to", infinitive marker) which was used with English "do" in certain English dialects

aloft

• á ("=in, on, to") + lopt ("=air, atmosphere, sky, heaven, upper floor, loft")
• English provenance = c 1200 AD

anger

• angr ("=trouble, affliction"); root ang (="strait, straitened, troubled")
• English provenance = c 1250 AD

are

merger of Old English (earun, earon) and Old Norse (er) cognates

auk

A type of Arctic seabird.

awe

• agi ("=terror")
• English provenance = c 1205 AD (as aȝe, an early form of the word resulting from the influence of Old Norse on an existing Anglo-Saxon form, eȝe)

awesome

From the same Norse root as "awe".

awful

From the same Norse root as "awe".

awkward

the first element is from Old Norse ǫfugr ("=turned-backward"), the '-ward' part is from Old English weard

awn

From Old Norse ögn

axle

May be a combination of Old English eax and Old Norse öxull (="axis")

B

bag

baggi

bait

beita

band

band (="rope")

bank (geography)

from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse banki, Old Danish banke (="sandbank").

bark

bǫrkr

bash

From Old Norse *basca (="to strike")

bask

baðask reflex. of baða "bathe" (baðast, baða sig)

bat (animal)

probably related to Old Swedish natbakka, Old Danish nathbakkæ "night bat," and Old Norse leðrblaka "bat," literally "leather flapper".

berserk

berserkr, lit. 'bear-shirt', (alt. berr-serkr, 'bare-shirt') frenzied warriors

billow

bylgja

birth

byrðr

blather

Probably from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse blaðra (="mutter, wag the tongue")

bleak

bleikr (="pale")

blend

Possibly from Old Norse blanda (="to mix")

blister

From a Scandinavian source via Old French

bloat

From a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse blautr (="soaked, soft from being cooked in liquid")

bloom

"blossom of a plant," c. 1200, a northern word, from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse blomi "flower, blossom".

blunder

blundra (="shut one's eye")

boast

Probably from a Scandinavian source via Anglo-French

bole

From Old Norse bolr (="tree trunk")

both

baðir

boon

bon (="a petition, prayer")

booth

From Old Danish boþ (="temporary dwelling"), from East Norse *boa (="to dwell")

boulder

from a Scandinavian source akin to Swedish dialectal bullersten "noisy stone" (large stone in a stream, causing water to roar around it), from bullra "to roar" + sten "stone".

brink

Possibly related to Danish brink (="steepness, shore, bank, grassy edge")

brisket

perhaps from Old French bruschet, with identical sense of the English word, or from Old Norse brjosk "gristle, cartilage" (related to brjost "breast") or Danish bryske

brunt

Likely from Old Norse bruna =("to advance like wildfire")

bulk

bulki

bull

boli

bump

Perhaps from Scandinavian, probably echoic

bur

From a Scandinavian source related to Old Norse burst (="bristle")

bylaw

bylög ('by'=village; 'lög'=law; 'village-law')

C

cake

kaka (="cake")

call

kalla (="cry loudly")

cart

From Old Norse kartr or a similar Scandinavian source

cast

kasta (="to throw")

chubby

Perhaps influenced by Old Norse kumba "log," kumben "stumpy".

clip

klippa (="to cut")

club

klubba (="cudgel")

clumsy

From a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse klumsa (="make speechless, palsy; prevent from speaking")

cog

Probably a Scandinavian borrowing, related to Norwegian kugg

cozy

Likely of Scandinavian origin via Scots, perhaps related to Norwegian kose seg

crawl

krafla (="to claw")

craze

Possibly from Old Norse krasa (="shatter") via Old French crasir

creek

kriki ("corner, nook") through ME creke ("narrow inlet in a coastline") altered from kryk perhaps influenced by Anglo-Norman crique itself from a Scandinavian source via Norman-French

crochet

from Old Norse krokr "hook" via French crochet "small hook; canine tooth"

crocket

from the same Norse root as "crochet" via French.

crook

krokr (="hook-shaped instrument or weapon")

crotch

from Old North French croche "shepherd's crook," variant of croc "hook," from Old Norse krokr "hook".

crotchet, crotchety

from Old Norse krokr "hook" via Old French crochet.

crouch

from the same Norse root as "crochet" via French.

cur

kurra (="to growl")

cut

Possibly from North Germanic*kut-

D

dangle

Probably from Scandinavian, related to Danish dangle, Swedish dangla (="to swing about") and Norwegian dangla

dank

Related to Swedish dank (="moist place") and dänka (="to moisten")

dash, dashing

Probably from a Scandinavian source (compare Swedish daska, Danish daske "to beat, strike")

dastard, dastardly

Probably from *dast, "dazed," past participle of dasen "to daze" or the equivalent past participle in Old Norse + deprecatory suffix -ard.

daze, dazed

Perhaps from Old Norse *dasa

die

deyja (="pass away")

dirt

drit (="feces")

down (feathers)

"first feathers of a baby bird; soft covering of fowls under the feathers, the under-plumage of birds," used for stuffing pillows and feather-beds, mid-14c., from Old Norse dunn, which is of uncertain origin.

doze

Probably from a Scandinavian source (compare Old Norse dusa "to doze," Danish døse "to make dull," Swedish dialectal dusa "to sleep").

dregs

dregg (="sediment")

droop

From Old Norse drupa (="to drop, sink, hang (the head)")

dump

Possibly related to Danish dumpe (="fall hard"), Norwegian dumpa (="to fall suddenly"), and Old Norse dumpa (="to beat"). Not found in Old English.

E

egg

egg (="egg")

eider

a type of duck.

equip, equipment

skipa (="organize, arrange, place in order") through Middle French équiper, from Old French esquiper "fit out a ship, load on board", itself from Norman-French esquipper, eschiper

F

fell (geography)

from Old Norse fiall "mountain"

fellow

félagi

filly

Possibly from Old Norse fylja, fem. of foli (="foal")

fir

from Old Norse fyri- "fir" or Old Danish fyr.

firth

From Old Norse fjörðr via Scottish

fjord

From Norwegian fiord, from Old Norse fjörðr (="an inlet, estuary")

flag

Probably from Old Norse flaka (="to flicker, flutter, hang loose")

flaneur

flana ("to wander aimlessly") + French suffix -eur through (19th cent.) French flâneur, itself from Norman-French flaner, flanner

flat

flatr

flaunt

Related to Swedish flankt (="loosely, flutteringly") and flakka (="to waver")

flaw

From Old Norse flaga (="stone slab, layer of stone")

fleck

Probably from Old Norse flekka (="to spot, stain, cover with spots")

fling

Probably from Old Norse flengja

flit

flytja (="cause to fit")

floe

From Norwegian flo (="layer, slab") from Old Norse flo

flounder

From Old Norse flydhra via Anglo-French floundre

fluster

Probably from a Scandinavian source related to Icelandic flaustr (="fluster")

fog

from Old Norse fok through Danish fog, meaning "spray", "shower", "snowdrift"

fro

from Old Norse fra (="from)

freckle

freknur (="freckles")

G

gab

gabbnna (="to mock") through Northern England dialect, Scottish or Norman-French

gable

from Old French gable "facade, front, gable," from Old Norse gafl "gable, gable-end" (in north of England, the word probably is directly from Norse).

gad

gaddr (="spike, nail")

gag

Perhaps influenced by Old Norse gag-hals (="with head thrown back")

gain

from Germanic and from Old Norse via Old French.

gait

Related to Old Norse gata (="way, road, path")

gale

Perhaps from Old Norse gol (="breeze") or Old Danish gal (="bad, furious")

gang

gangr (="act of going, a group of men")

gap

gap (="chasm")

gape

From an unrecorded English word or from Old Norse gapa (="to open the mouth wide, gape")

gasp

geispa (="to yawn")

gaunt

Perhaps from a Scandinavian source

gawk

from Middle English gawen, from Old Norse ga (="to heed")

gear

from Old Norse gørvi (="apparel, gear")

gelding

from Old Norse geldingr (="wether; eunuch")

get

geta, gat (got), gittan (gotten)

geyser

from Icelandic geysir, from Old Norse geysa (="to gush")

gift

gift (="dowry")

gill

Possibly related to Old Norse gjölnar

girth

gjörð (="circumference, cinch")

give

gefa (="to give")

glitter

glitra (="to glitter")

gloat

From a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse glotta (="to grin, smile scornfully and show the teeth")

gosling

gæslingr (="goose")

grovel

Shakespearean term originating from Old Norse grufe

guest

gestr (="guest")

gun

from Old Norse Gunnhildr (female name, both elements of the name, gunn and hildr, have the meaning "war, battle")

gust

gustr (="gust")

H

haggle

haggen (="to chop")

hail

heill (="health, prosperity, good luck")

hank

Probably from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse hönk (="a hank, coil")

hap, happy

happ (="chance, good luck, fate")

harness

From Old Norse *hernest (="provisions for an army") via Old French harnois

harsh

probably from Middle English harske "rough, coarse, sour" (c. 1300), a northern word of Scandinavian origin.

haunt

heimta (="to bring back home") through Anglo-Norman haunter (="to reside", "to frequent"), (Old) French hanter from Norman hanter.

haven

From Old Norse höfn (="haven, harbor")

hit

hitta (="to find")

how (or howe)

haugr (="barrow, small hill") Usage preserved mainly in place names

husband

husbondi (="master of the house")

hug

Possibly from Old Norse hugga (="to comfort")

I

ill

illr (="bad")

irk

yrkja (="to work")

J

jökulhlaup

from Icelandic jökulhlaup from Old Norse jǫkull and hlaup.

jarl

From Old Norse jarl

K

kedge

Probably from a Scandinavian source or related to "cadge"

keg

From a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse kaggi (="keg, cask")

keel

kjölr

kenning

a descriptive phrase used in Germanic poetry, a modern learned word from Old Norse kenning in a special sense.

kick

Of uncertain origin, perhaps from Old Norse kikna (="bend backwards, sink at the knees")

kid

kið (="young goat")

kidnap

From kid + a variant of nab, both of which are of Scandinavian origin.

kilt

From Middle English kilten, from a Scandinavian source

kindle

kynda

knife

knífr

L

lad

ladd (="young man (unlikely)")

lag

Possibly from a Scandinavian source, related to Norwegian lagga (="go slowly")

lass

From a Scandinavian source related to Old Swedish løsk kona (="unmarried woman") or Old Norse löskr (="idle, weak")

lathe

hlaða (="to load")

law

*lagu

leg

leggr

lemming

From Old Norse lomundr via Norwegian lemming

lift

lypta (="to raise")

likely

líkligr

link

*hlenkr

litmus

litmose (="lichen for dyeing", lita ="to stain")

loan

lán (="to lend")

loft

lopt (="an upper room or floor : attic, air, sky")

loose

lauss (="loose/free")

lope

From Old Norse hlaupa (="to run, leap, spring up")

low

lagr

lug

From Scandinavian, related to Swedish lugga and Norwegian lugge (="to pull by the hair")

M

meek

From a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse mjukr (='soft, pliant, gentle')

midden

Of Scandinavian origin, related to Danish mødding

mink

From a Scandinavian source, related to Swedish menk (="a stinking animal in Finland")

mire

myrr (='bog')

mistake

mistaka (="miscarry")

muck

myki (="cow dung")

mug

mugge

muggy

mugga (="drizzle, mist")

N

nab

Probably a variant of dialectal nap "to seize, catch, lay hold of", which possibly is from Scandinavian.

nag

Probably ultimately from a Scandinavian source, related to Old Norse gnaga (="to complain," literally "to bite, gnaw")

narwhal

From Danish and Norwegian narhval, probably a metathesis of Old Norse nahvalr, literally "corpse-whale," from na "corpse"

nay, naysayer

From a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse nei

niggard, niggardly

Perhaps from a Scandinavian source related to Old Norse *hniggw, possibly via French

Norman, Normandy

from Old Norse through Old French, meaning "northman", due to Viking settlement in Normandy region

nudge

Perhaps from Scandinavian, related to Norwegian nugge/nyggje (="to jostle, rub") and Icelandic nugga (="to rub, massage")

O

oaf

alfr (="elf")

odd

oddi (="third number", "the casting vote")

ombudsman

from Old Norse umboðsmaðr through Swedish ombudsman, meaning "commissary", "representative", "steward"

outlaw

utlagi

P

peen

Probably from a Scandinavian source, related to Norwegian penn and Old Swedish pæna

plough, plow

plogr

prod

From Old Norse broddr (="shaft, spike")

Q

queasy

Possibly from a Scandinavian source, such as Old Norse kveisa (="a boil") (Middle English Compendium compares Old Norse iðra-kveisa "bowel pains").

R

race

rás (="to race", "to run", "to rush", "to move swift")

raft

raptr (="log")

rag

Probably from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse rögg (="shaggy tuft, rough hair")

ragged

Related to "rag", perhaps from or reinforced by Old Norse raggaðr (="shaggy").

ragtag

From rag + tag, both component words being of Scandinavian origin.

raise

reisa

ransack

rannsaka (="to search the house")

reef

Likely from Old Norse rif (="ridge in the sea; reef in a sail") via Dutch riffe

regret

gráta ("to weep, groan") + French prefix re- through Old French regreter, itself from Old Norman-French regrater, regreter, influenced by Old English grætan

reindeer

hreindyri

rid

Possibly from Old Norse ryðja (="to clear (land) of obstructions")

rift

Related to Old Norse ripa/rifa (=""to tear apart, break a contract")

rig

Probably from a Scandinavian source. May be related to Danish/Norwegian rigge (="to equip") and Swedish rigga (="to rig, harness")

rive

rífa (="to scratch, plow, tear")

root

rót

rotten

rotinn (="decayed")

rug

rogg (="shaggy tuft")

rugged

rogg (="shaggy tuft")

rump

From a Scandinavian source related to Danish/Norwegian rumpe and Swedish rumpa

S

saga

saga (="story, tale")

sale

sala

same

same, samr (="same")

scale

(for weighing) from skal (="bowl, drinking cup", or in plural "weighing scale" referring to the cup or pan part of a balance) in early English used to mean "cup"

scalp

From a Scandinavian source related to Old Norse skalli (="a bald head") or skalpr (="sheath, scabbard")

scant

skamt & skammr (="short, lacking")

scare

skirra (="to frighten)

scarf

skarfr (="fastening joint") ("scarf" and "scarves" have possibly been reintroduced to modern Swedish in their English forms as slang, but Swedes almost always use the compound "neck-cloth" (hals-duk).

scathe

skaða (="to hurt, injure")

scoff

From a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse skaup, skop (="mockery, ridicule")

scofflaw

From scoff + law, both of which are of Old Norse origin.

scold

From Old Norse skald (="poet")

scorch

Perhaps from Old Norse skorpna (="to be shriveled"). It was previously thought to be from Old French, but this is now considered unlikely.

score

skor (="notch"; "twenty")

scowl

Probably from a Scandinavian source, related to Norwegian skule (="look furtively, squint, look embarrassed") and Danish skule (="to scowl, cast down the eyes")

scrag

Related to Norwegian skragg "a lean person;" dialectal Swedish skraka "a great, dry tree; a long, lean man," skragge "old and torn thing," Danish skrog "hull of a ship; carcass," Icelandic skröggr, a nickname of the fox

scrap

skrap (="scraps, trifles") from skrapa

scrape

skrapa (="to scrape, erase")

scrawny

Of uncertain origin but probably from a Scandinavian source, such as Old Norse skrælna (="to shrivel")

scree

From Old Norse skriða (="landslide")

scuff

Probably from a Scandinavian source related to Old Norse skufa, skyfa (="to shove, push aside"), via Scottish

seat

sæti (="seat, position")

seem

sœma (="to conform")

shrimp

Probably from or related to Old Norse skreppa (="thin person")

shrivel

Perhaps from a Scandinavian source and related to Swedish skryvla (="to wrinkle, to shrivel")

shrug

perhaps connected to Danish skrugge "to stoop, crouch."

silt

Probably from a Scandinavian source, related to Norwegian and Danish sylt (="salt marsh") and Old Swedish sylta (="mud")

skate

skata (="fish")

skeet

ultimately from Old Norse skjota (="to shoot")

skerry

From Old Norse sker

skewer

Possibly from Old Norse skifa (="a cut, slice")

ski

From Norwegian ski, related to Old Norse skið (="long snowshoe")

skid

Probably from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse skið (="stick of wood")

skill

skil (="distinction")

skin

skinn (="animal hide")

skip

skopa (="to skip, run)

skit

Perhaps ultimately from Old Norse skjuta (="to shoot, move quickly")

skitter, skittish

Perhaps relate to Old Norse skjota

skirt

skyrta (="shirt")

skive

From a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse skifa (="to cut, split")

skrike

skríkja (="to scream")

skua

from Faroese skugvur, related to Old Norse skufr (="seagull, tuft, tassel"), and possibly to skauf (="fox's tail").

skull

skulle (="head")

sky

ský (="cloud")

skyscraper

From sky + scrape, both of which originate from Old Norse

slam

From a Scandinavian source, ultimately of imitative origin.

slant

sletta, slenta (="to throw carelessly")

slaughter

*slahtr (="butchering")

slaver

slafra (="slaver")

sledge

sleggja (="sledgehammer")

sleight

slœgð

sleuth

sloð (="trail")

slight

Probably from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse slettr (="smooth, sleek")

sling

From Old Norse slyngva

slob

From a Scandinavian source via Irish

slouch

Related to Old Norse slokr ("lazy fellow")

slump

Probably from a Scandinavian source such as Norwegian and Danish slumpe (="fall upon,") Swedish slumpa; perhaps ultimately of imitative origin.

slush

Perhals from a Scandinavian source, related to Norwegian and Danish slask (="slushy ground")

sly

sloegr (="cunning, crafty, sly")

smithy

From Old Norse smiðja

snag

From a Scandinavian source, related Old Norse snagi (="clothes peg")

snare

snara (="noose, snare")

snape

sneypa (="to outrage, dishonor, disgrace")

snipe

From Old Norse -snipa

sniper

From English snipe, which was derived from Old Norse

snub

snubba (="to curse")

snug, snuggle

Perhaps from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse snoggr (="short-haired")

spike

perhaps from or related to a Scandinavian word, such as Old Norse spik "splinter," Middle Swedish spijk "nail".

sprint

spretta (="to jump up")

squabble

probably from a Scandinavian source and of imitative origin

squall

Probably from a Scandinavian source, such as Old Norse skvala (="to cry out")

stack

From a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse stakkr (="haystack")

stagger

stakra (="to push")

stain

steina (="to paint")

steak

steik, steikja (="to fry")

stern (nautical)

probably from a Scandinavian source, such as Old Norse stjorn "a steering," related to or derived from styra "to guide".

stoup

From a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse staup (="cup")

stumble

Probably from a Scandinavian source, may be related to Norwegian stumla, Swedish stambla (="to stumble")

swag

From a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse sveggja (="to swing, sway")

swain

from Old Norse sveinn "boy, servant, attendant".

sway

sveigja (="to bend, swing, give way")

T

tag

Probably from a Scandinavian source, related to Norwegian tagg (="point, prong, barb") and Swedish tagg (="prickle, thorn")

tangle

From a Scandinavian source, possibly related to Old Norse þongull

take

taka

tarn

tjǫrn, tjarn

tatter

From a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse töturr (="rags, tatters, tattered garment")

teem

tœma (="to empty")

tern

From a Scandinavian source akin via East Anglian dialect

tether

Probably from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse tjoðr (="tether")

their

þeirra

they

þeir

though

from Old English þēah, and in part from Old Norse þó (="though")

thrall

þræll

thrift

þrift (="prosperity")

thrive

From a Scandinavian source akin to þrifask (="to thrive", originally "grasp to oneself")

thrust

þrysta (="to thrust, force")

thwart

þvert (="across")

tidings

tíðindi (="news of events")

tight

þéttr (="watertight, close in texture, solid")

till

til (="to, until")

toft

From Old Norse topt (="homestead")

toom

tóm (="vacant time, leisure")

toss

Of uncertain origin, possibly from a Scandinavian source

trash

Perhaps from Old Norse tros (="rubbish, fallen leaves and twigs")

troll

troll (="giant, fiend, demon"; further etymology is disputed)

trust (verb)

traust (="help, confidence")

tryst

from Old French tristre (="waiting place, appointed station in hunting"), probably from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse treysta (="to trust, make firm").

tyke

From a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse tik (="female dog")

U

ugly

uggligr (="Dreadfull, repulsive")

until

from Old Norse und (="as far as, up to") and til (="until, up to")

V

valkyrie

from Old Norse valkyrja, literally "chooser of the slain," from valr (="those slain in battle") + kyrja (="chooser"), from ablaut root of kjosa (="to choose")

viking

vikingr (="one who came from the fjords", vik = small and not deep fjord)

vole

Probably from Old Norse völlr (="field")

W

wad

from Old Norse vaðmal

wag

Probably from a Scandinavian source related Old Norse vagga (="a cradle")

waif

Probably from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse veif (="waving thing, flag") via Anglo-French waif

wail

From Old Norse væla (="to lament")

waive, waiver

from Anglo-French weyver "to abandon, waive" (Old French guever "to abandon, give back"), probably from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse veifa "to swing about".

walrus

A loanword from Dutch, but probably ultimately an alteration of a Scandinavian word.

wand

vondr (="rod")

want

vanta (="to lack")

wapentake

From Old Norse vapnatak

wassail

From Old Norse vas heill (="be healthy")

weak

veikr (="weak, pliant")

wheeze

Probably from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse hvoesa (="to hiss")

whirl

hvirfla (="to go around")

whisk

viska (="to plait")

wicker

From a Scandinavian source, related to Danish viger and Middle Swedish viker

wicket

vík (="bay") + French suffix -et through Anglo-Norman wicket, itself from Old Norman-French wiket, Norman-French viquet > French guichet

wight

vigr (="able in battle") – the other wight meaning "man" is from Old English

wile

vél (="trick, craft, fraud")

windlass

vindáss (= "windlass", literally "winding-pole"), through Old Norman / Anglo-Norman windas, from vinda ("to wind") + áss ("pole").

window

vindauga (="wind-eye") – although gluggi was more commonly used in Old Norse

wing

vængr (="a wing")

wreck

From a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse *wrek (="wreck, flotsam"), via Anglo-Norman wrec

wrong

rangr (="crooked, wry, wrong")

Y

yaw

Perhaps ultimately from Old Norse jaga

See also

• Lists of English words of international origin
• List of English words of Scandinavian origin
• List of English words of Norwegian origin
• List of English words of Danish origin
• List of English words of Swedish origin
• Old Norse language
• Old Norse orthography