øx
feminine
The Old Norse word for axe is øx.
Meaning: tool (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
øx is a feminine noun.
Did you know?
- Old Norse poets used 'kennings', or metaphorical compound words, to describe an øx as a 'wood-biter'.
- In the Viking Age, the 'broadaxe' was not just a tool for wood but a primary weapon of war, often mentioned in sagas as a symbol of status.
- The Old Norse øx shares a common ancestor with the English word 'axe', meaning they are essentially the same word wearing different historical clothes.
Examples in context
- Sá er mikil øx.That is a large axe.
- Ek hefi nýja øx.I have a new axe.
Example conversation
A man and a woman are preparing for a woodworking task.
- HelgaHvar er mín øx?Where is my axe?
- IvarHon er þar, Helga.It is over there, Helga.
- HelgaÞǫkk fyrir, Ívarr.Thank you, Ivar.
- IvarSé, hon er mjǫk hvǫss.Look, it is very sharp.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “axe” translations and entries øx, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries øx, CC BY-SA 4.0.
