hestr
masculine
The English word horse is hestr in Old Norse. Wiktionary also lists jór.
Meaning: members of the species ''Equus ferus'' (noun)
Ways to say it
| Old Norse | Note |
|---|---|
| hestr | masculine |
| jór | masculine, poetic |
The term refers to members of the species Equus ferus.
Which one should you use?
hestr is the standard, everyday term for a horse. In contrast, jór is a poetic or literary term often found in skaldic poetry.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Old East Norse, the term Hross is used for horse.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of hestr is hestar. When using the accusative or dative singular cases, the final -r is dropped, resulting in hest.
Did you know?
- In Viking Age culture, the 'horse' was so central that they practiced 'horse sacrifice' as part of religious rituals to the gods.
- The poetic Old Norse word jór shares its ancient root with Latin equus, Sanskrit áśva and Greek híppos.
- Old Norse poets used jór instead of hestr to create complex imagery in skaldic poetry, where the word served as a building block for metaphorical kennings.
Examples in context
- Hestr er dýrt dýr.A horse is an expensive animal.
Example conversation
Astrid and Ivar are preparing for a journey.
- AstridSjá, hestr þinn er búinn!Look, your horse is ready!
- IvarJá, hann er mjök snjallr.Yes, he is very clever.
- AstridHverr hestr er betri?Which horse is better?
- IvarMinn hestr er hraustastr.My horse is the hardiest.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “horse” translations and entries hestr, jór, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hestr, jór, CC BY-SA 4.0.
