Mímir
Old Norse Dictionary - mímirMeaning of Old Norse word "mímir" in English.
As defined by the Cleasby & Vigfusson Old Norse to English dictionary:
mímir Old Norse word can mean:
- mímir
- m. name of the wise giant of Norse mythology, the keeper of the holy well Mímis-brunnr, m. = the burn of Mimir, the well of wisdom, in which Odin pawned his eye for wisdom, a myth which is explained as symbolical of the heavenly vault with its single eye, the sun, setting in the sea, Vsp. 22. Mímir also occurs in the following compds, hregg-mímir = the ‘tempest-sky,’ and vett-mímir = the top sky = the uppermost heaven, Edda (gl.), which are among the nine heavens, such as the ancients fancied it, which shews a connection of this name with the sky; Sökk-mímir, the M. of the depth, is the name of a giant (representing the sky of the Inferno?), Gm. Again, another myth says that Odin carried with him the cut off head of the giant Mímir (Míms-höfuð), which told him all hidden things, Vsp. 47, Yngl. S. ch. 7, Edda: Odin is called Míms-vinr, m. = the friend of Mímir, Stor. Míms-synir, m. pl. the sons of Mímir = the winds (?), Vsp.
- mímir
- II. hold-mímir, flesh-maimer (?), is the poët. name of a sword, Edda (gl.); cp. also Ulf. mimz = κρέας, 1 Cor. viii. 13, (= a chop, butcher’s meat?). ☞ Is the word to be derived from maiming, cutting, and is the likeness to Lat. memor only accidental? cp. also the following word.
Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark:ᛘᛁᛘᛁᚱ
Younger Futhark runes were used from 8th to 12th centuries in Scandinavia and their overseas settlements
Abbreviations used:
- ch.
- chapter.
- gl.
- glossary.
- l.
- line.
- m.
- masculine.
- pl.
- plural.
- S.
- Saga.
- cp.
- compare.
- f.
- feminine.
- Lat.
- Latin.
- poët.
- poetically.
- Ulf.
- Ulfilas.
Works & Authors cited:
- Edda
- Edda. (C. I.)
- Gm.
- Grímnis-mál. (A. I.)
- Stor.
- Sona-torrek. (A. III.)
- Vsp.
- Völuspá. (A. I.)
- Yngl. S.
- Ynglinga Saga. (C. II.)