Viking
noun/ˈvaɪkɪŋ/
Etymology
Borrowed from Old Norse víkingr (“Viking”). Already in Old English as wīċing and Old Frisian wītsing, but assumed extinct in Middle English and borrowed anew in the 19th century; any survivals in dialect through the Middle Ages are unknown. Old Norse víkingr itself is from Old Norse vík (“inlet, cove, fjord”) + -ingr (“one belonging to, one who frequents”) (the -r is the nominative desinence). Thus, “one from or who frequents the sea’s inlets”. The Old English and Anglo-Frisian form, existing since at least the eighth century, could also have been derived from or influenced by Old English wīc (“camp”), on account of the temporary encampments which were often a prominent feature of the Vikings’ raids. Others proposals were made, like e.g. deriving víkingr from the root related to the verb víkja or deriving both English and Old Norse words to *wīkingaz related to víkja or wīc.
Historical Scandinavian/Northern European seafarers, most familiarly raiders and pirates during the Viking age.
- Henchmen had placed, as was their habit, each warrior's gear and trappings above his pile of skins. Thus you could see the burnished helmet of each warrior set in readiness above his head. It was the Viking habit.1961, Norma Lorre Goodrich, “Beowulf”, in The Medieval Myths, New York: The New American Library, page 33:
Fantasy Broadly A stock character common in the fantasy genre, namely a barbarian, generally equipped with an axe or sword and a helmet adorned with horns.
Colloquial A Norseman (medieval Scandinavian).
Colloquial, Humorous, Mildly, Offensive An ethnic Swede, Norwegian, Dane, Icelander or Faroe Islander.
American football, Ball games, Football, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports A player on the Minnesota Vikings NFL team.
Japan buffet; smorgasbord
- Derived terms
- vike, Vikes, Viking Age, Viking disease, viking, Vikingism, Viking ship