List of 150 English Words That Originated From Old Norse


Did you know?
For every order ProofreadingServices.com processes, we donate one book to a homeless shelter. If you'd like to support our social mission, you can order proofreading, translation, or resume writing.
Want to find a list of English words with etymological roots in a particular language? See this collection of English words that originated from Old Norse. You'll find what you need here.

English’s predominant roots from Germanic and Romance languages are no secret, but Old Norse has also had a sizeable influence on it. Many words made their way from Norway and other Scandinavian countries to the shores of Britain.

Word Origin
aloft ā lopt
anger angr
are eru
auk ālka
awe agi
awkward ǫfugr
bag baggi
bait beita
ball bǫllr
band band
bark bǫrkr
bask baðask
berserk berserkr
billow bylgja
birth byrth
bleak bleikr
blunder blunda
bulk bulki
bull boli
bylaw bȳlǫg
cake kaka
call kalla
cast kasta
clip klippa
club klubba
crawl krafla
creek kriki
crook krōkr
die deyja
dirt drit
dreg dregg
egg egg
eider æthr
fellow fēlagi
flat flatr
flit flytjask
freckle freknōttr
gab gabba
gad gaddr
gang gangr
gap gap
gawk gaukr
get geta
geyser geysa
gift gift
girth gjǫrð
give gefa
glitter glitra
glove glōfi
gosling gæsling
guest gestr
gust gustr
hail heill
happy heppinn
hit hitta
husband hūsbōndi
ill illr
irk yrkja
keel kjǫlr
kenning kenna
kid kið
kindle kynda
knife knīfr
law lǫg
leg leggr
likely līkligr
link hlekkr
litmus litmosi
loan lán
loft lopt
loose lauss
low lāgr
mire mȳrr
mistake mistaka
muck myki
odd oddi
ombudsman umboðsmaðr
outlaw ūtlagi
race rās
raft raptr
raise reisa
ransack rannsaka
regret grāta
rid rythja
rive rīfa
root rōt
rotten rotinn
run renna
saga saga
same samr
scale skāl
scant skamt
scare skirra
scarf skarfr
scathe skathi
score skor
scrap skrap
scrape skrapa
seat sæti
seem sœmr
shake skaka
skate skata
skid skið
skill skil
skin skinn
skirt skyrta
sky skȳ
slant sletta
slaughter slātra
slaver slafra
sledge sleggja
sleight slœgð
sly slœgr
snare snara
snub snubba
stagger stakra
stain steina
stammer stemma
steak steik
sway sveigja
take taka
tarn tjǫrn
teem tœma
their þeirra
they þeir
though þó
thrall þræll
thrift þrift
thrust þrysta
thwart þvert
tidings tíðindi
tight þéttr
till til
troll troll
trust traust
ugly uggligr
Viking vīkingr
wand vǫndr
want vanta
weak veikr
whirl hvirfla
whisk visk
wicket vīk
wight vīgr
wile vēl
windlass vindāss
window vindauga
wing vængr
wrong rangr
yule jōl