víkingr
/ˈwiːkinɡɹ̝/masculine
The Old Norse word for "viking" is víkingr.
The term víkingr refers to the occupation of a Viking, encompassing individuals involved in piracy, expeditions and trade activities.
Meaning: One of the Scandinavian seafaring warriors (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
víkingr is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈwiːkinɡɹ̝/
Did you know?
- In Old Norse, víkingr was not an ethnic identity but a job description. A person could go víking as a verb, meaning to go on an overseas expedition for profit.
- The word víkingr may be a combination of the word for 'bay' or 'inlet', vík, and a common suffix. This suggests the term could originally describe someone who operated specifically from or near small coastal bays.
- While víkingr denotes the person, the Old Norse language distinguishes between the raiding warrior and the bóndi, the free farmer who stayed home.
Examples in context
- Hann var mikill víkingr.He was a great viking.
- Hverr víkingr fer til Englands?Which viking goes to England?
Example conversation
Erik and Helga are discussing a traveler arriving at the village.
- ErikSjá, þar kemr víkingr!Look, there comes a viking!
- HelgaHvaðan kemr sá víkingr?Where does that viking come from?
- ErikHann kemr ór vestri.He comes from the west.
- HelgaHann er mikill maðr.He is a great man.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “viking” translations and entries víkingr, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries víkingr, CC BY-SA 4.0.
