vǫlva

See also: volva, völva, and vølva

Old Norse

FWOTD – 28 April 2017

Etymology

From Old Norse vǫlr (staff), an apparent characteristic of the vǫlva.

Pronunciation

  • (9th century West Norse) IPA(key): /ˈwɔlwa/
  • (12th century Icelandic) IPA(key): /ˈvɔlva/

Noun

vǫlva f (genitive vǫlu, plural vǫlur)

  1. völva; prophetess, seeress, witch
    • Baldrs draumar, stanza 4:
      Þá reið Óðinn
      fyrir austan dyrr,
      þar er hann vissi
      vǫlu leiði;
      nam hann vittugri
      valgaldr kveða,
      unz nauðig reis,
      nás orð of kvað.
      Then rode Odin
      before the eastern door:
      there, he knew, was
      the seeress’ grave;
      He began (wise in witchcraft)
      to sing a spell to wake the dead,
      until reluctantly she rose
      and spoke a dead woman's words.

Declension

Coordinate terms

Derived terms

  • Vǫluspá

Descendants

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