Jörmun-

Old Norse Dictionary - jörmun-

Meaning of Old Norse word "jörmun-" (or jǫrmun-) in English.

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

jörmun- (jǫrmun-)
a prefix in a few old mythical words, implying something huge, vast, superhuman: [cp. the A. S. eormen- in eormcn-cyn, -grund, -lâf, -strind, -þeôð; and Hel. irmin- in irmin-got = the great god, irmin-man = the great man, irmin-sul = a sacred column or idol, irmin-thiod = mankind, see Schmeller]:—great; the compds. of this word, which occur in old Scandin. poets only, are, Jörmun-gandr, m. the Great Monster, a name of the northern Leviathan, the Midgard Serpent, Vsp. 50, Bragi (Edda i. 254): Jörmund-grund, f. = A. S. eormen-grund (Beowulf), = the earth, Gm. 20: Jörmun-rekr, m. a pr. name, A. S. Eormenric (the Goth. form would be Airmanariks), Edda, Bragi: Jörmun-þrjótr, m. the Great Evil One, of a giant, Haustl.

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

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

Abbreviations used:

A. S.
Anglo-Saxon.
compds.
compounds.
cp.
compare.
f.
feminine.
Goth.
Gothic.
Hel.
Heliand.
l.
line.
m.
masculine.
n.
neuter.
pr.
proper, properly.
S.
Saga.
Scandin.
Scandinavia, Scandinavian.

Works & Authors cited:

Edda
Edda. (C. I.)
Gm.
Grímnis-mál. (A. I.)
Haustl.
Haustlöng. (A. I.)
Vsp.
Völuspá. (A. I.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

Also available in related dictionaries:

This headword also appears in dictionaries of other languages descending from Old Norse.

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