Bý

Old Norse Dictionary - bý

Meaning of Old Norse word "bý" in English.

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

bý: n. [Lat. apis; the Goth. word is not on record; A. S. beo; Engl. bee; O. H. G. pia; Germ. biene, and older form beie, Grimm i. 1367; Swed.-Dan. bi]:—a bee; the spelling in Icel. with ý is fixed by long usage, and by a rhyme in the Höfuðl., Jöfurr sveigði ý | flugu unda bý, where ý (a bow) and bý (bees) rhyme; because perhaps an etymology from bú floated before the mind, from the social habits of bees, Barl. 86; the simple by is quite obsolete in Icel. which only uses the compd,

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

Abbreviations used:

A. S.: Anglo-Saxon.

Dan.: Danish.

Engl.: English.

Germ.: German.

gl.: glossary.

Goth.: Gothic.

Icel.: Iceland, Icelander, Icelanders, Icelandic.

l.: line.

Lat.: Latin.

m.: masculine.

n.: neuter.

O. H. G.: Old High German.

S.: Saga.

Swed.: Swedish.

Works & Authors cited:

Barl.: Barlaams Saga. (F. III.)

Höfuðl.: Höfuðlausn. (A. III.)

➞ See all works cited in the dictionary