Völundr

Old Norse Dictionary - völundr

Meaning of Old Norse word "völundr" (or vǫlundr) in English.

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

völundr Old Norse word can mean:

völundr (vǫlundr)
m. [A. S. Wêland; Germ. Wieland; hence too comes Engl. gallant, from Teut. Fr. galant; prop. an appellative (?), like höfundr]:—Wayland the Smith, Germ. Welant, a myth. hero common to all Teutonic people, Edda, Þiðr. 82, 185; the legends about him are contained in the old lay Völundar-kviða,m. 88–94 (List of Authors A. II), and the Þiðr. S. ch. 57 sqq.
völundr (vǫlundr)
2. as appell. a master smith, a great artist, = δαίδαλος; bækr þinar ofnar völundum, woven by Waylands,m. 7 (cp. Gr. πέπλος δαίδαλος); Hrafn var völundr at hagleik, bæði at tré ok at járni, BS. i. 640; Fróði konungr átti tvá smiði er völundar vóru at hagleik, FmS. i. 14; völundr rómu, the master of battle, i. e. Odin, ix. (in a verse); and so in mod. usage, hann er mesti Völundr, he is a great Völund, a great master, of a smith. Völundar-hús, n. ‘Wayland’s house,’ a labyrinth, Stj. 85; en feti þó hvergi burt úr Völundar-húsi, Lil. 92; this myth. word is still in use in Icel.

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

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

Abbreviations used:

A. S.
Anglo-Saxon.
ch.
chapter.
Engl.
English.
Fr.
French in etymologies.
Germ.
German.
gl.
glossary.
l.
line.
m.
masculine.
prop.
proper, properly.
S.
Saga.
Teut.
Teutonic.
cp.
compare.
Gr.
Greek.
Icel.
Iceland, Icelander, Icelanders, Icelandic.
i. e.
id est.
mod.
modern.
n.
neuter.

Works & Authors cited:

Edda
Edda. (C. I.)
Fr.
Fritzner’s Dictionary, 1867.
Sæm.
Sæmundar Edda. (A, C. I.)
Þiðr.
Þiðreks Saga. (G. I.)
Bs.
Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)
Fms.
Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)
Hðm.
Hamðis-mál. (A. II.)
Lil.
Lilja. (A. III.)
Stj.
Stjórn. (F. 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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