Ginn-

Old Norse Dictionary - ginn-

Meaning of Old Norse word "ginn-" in English.

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

ginn- Old Norse word can mean:

ginn-
or perhaps better gínn-, [cp. A. S. gin or ginn = vast, wide; it seems however better to derive it from the verb beginnan, Engl. begin, a word used in all Teutonic languages, except the old Scandinavian tongue, where it is unknown, unless in this mythological prefix]:—only used as a prefix:
ginn-
I. in old mythol. words, great, holy: ginn-heilög (adj. pl.) goð, the most holy gods, the supreme gods, as opposed to Asir and Vanir, the lower gods, Vsp. passim: ginn-regin, n. pl.magna numina,’ Hm. 143, Haustl. 13, in the same sense as ginnheilög goð in Vsp.; in Hým. 4 opp. to tívar (dii); in Alm. goð and ginnregin are distinguished, cp. also Hm. 79: ginnungar, m. pl., seems used in the same sense as ginnregin, whence Ginnunga-gap, n. chaos, the formless void, in which abode the supreme powers, before the creation, Edda, Vsp.: later, in the 11th century, the sea between Greenland and America was called Ginnunga-gap, A. A. 295: Ginnunga-himin, m. of the heavenly vault of Ginnunga-gap, Edda 5: Ginnunga-vé, n. pl. the holy places of the Ginnungar, the universe, Haustl. 15: Ginnarr (Ginnir), m., is a name of Odin, prop. = aetherius, and also used of the eagle, the falcon.
ginn-
II. in an intensive sense only in poets; ginn-viti, a, m. a large fire, Sighvat; perhaps also we may read, Vkv. 5, ginn-fasti, a, m. a great fire in a smithy, for gim fasti.

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

Abbreviations used:

A. S.
Anglo-Saxon.
cp.
compare.
Engl.
English.
gl.
glossary.
l.
line.
S.
Saga.
adj.
adjective.
m.
masculine.
mythol.
mythology, mythologically.
n.
neuter.
opp.
opposed.
pl.
plural.
prop.
proper, properly.
v.
vide.

Works & Authors cited:

A. A.
Antiquitates Americanae. (E. II.)
Alm.
Alvís-mál. (A. I.)
Edda
Edda. (C. I.)
Haustl.
Haustlöng. (A. I.)
Hm.
Hává-mál. (A. I.)
Hým.
Hýmis-kviða. (A. I.)
Vsp.
Völuspá. (A. I.)
Vkv.
Völundar-kviða. (A. II.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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