Kenning

Old Norse Dictionary - kenning

Meaning of Old Norse word "kenning" in English.

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

kenning Old Norse word can mean:

kenning: f. doctrine, teaching, lesson, esp. of preaching, Fms. i. 148; kenna kenningar, to teach, preach, 625. 24, K. Á. 22, Bs. i. 140, n. T., Vídal.; tíðagörð ok k., passim; á-kenning, q. v.; viðr-k., acknowledgment.

kenning: 2. a mark of recognition, Grett. 132 A; kenningar-orð, words of admonition, Hkr. iii. 23, Fb. iii. 279; kenningar-maðr = kennimaðr, Rb. 366; kenningar-sveinn, an apprentice, n. G. l. ii. 204.

kenning: II. a poetical periphrasis or descriptive name (see kenna A. v. 2), Edda passim, opp. to ókennd heiti (simple appellatives); a kenning is either simple (kennt), double (tví-kennt), or triple (rekit). The ancient circumlocutions were either drawn from mythology, as to call Thor the son of Earth (Jarðar sunr), and the heaven the skull of Ymir; or from the thing itself (sann-kenning), as to call the breast the mind’s abode: similar phraseology is found in all ancient poetry, but in the old northern poets it was carried farther and was more artificial than in other languages.

kenning: COMPDS: kenningarfaðir, kenningarnafn, kenningarson.

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

Abbreviations used:

esp.: especially.

f.: feminine.

l.: line.

q. v.: quod vide.

v.: vide.

L.: Linnæus.

opp.: opposed.

n.: neuter.

Works & Authors cited:

Bs.: Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)

Fms.: Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)

K. Á.: Kristinn-réttr Árna biskups. (B. III.)

N. T.: New Testament.

Vídal.: Vídalíns-Postilla.

Fb.: Flateyjar-bók (E. I.)

Grett.: Grettis Saga. (D. II.)

Hkr.: Heimskringla. (E. I.)

N. G. L.: Norges Gamle Love. (B. II.)

Rb.: Rímbegla. (H. III.)

Edda: Edda. (C. 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.