List of 150 English Words That Originated From Old Norse
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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 |
