íss
masculine
The Old Norse word for "ice" is íss.
íss refers to water in its frozen form.
Meaning: water in frozen form (noun)
Which one should you use?
While íss is the standard term for ice, the word hagl is used to refer to hail or to describe icy particles.
How does it change in a sentence?
íss is a masculine noun.
Did you know?
- In Norse mythology, the world was created from the meeting of fire and íss in the great void of Ginnungagap.
- The runic alphabet used by Old Norse speakers included a rune that was occasionally associated with íss, representing both the substance and a state of stillness.
Examples in context
- Sjá, íss er á sænum.Look, there is ice on the sea.
Example conversation
Sigrid and Olaf are walking near a frozen lake.
- SigridSjá, Olaf, þessi íss er þykkr.Look, Olaf, this ice is thick.
- OlafJá, Sigrid, hann er sterkr.Yes, Sigrid, it is strong.
- SigridGetum vér gengit á ísinum?Can we walk on the ice?
- OlafJá, þat mun vera óhætt.Yes, that should be safe.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ice” translations and entries íss, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries íss, CC BY-SA 4.0.
